月底

• Pinyin: yuè dǐ
• Hanzi breakdown: 月 = pictograph of a crescent moon, also month; 底 = 广 (wide structure) + 氏 (clan), bottom or end

Meaning

End of the month. The final days of a calendar month, typically referring to around the 25th to the last day.

Commonly used in planning, finance, and deadline contexts. 月底前 means by the end of the month. Contrasts with 月初 (beginning of the month) and 月中 (mid-month). 每个月底 means at the end of every month.

Examples

1. 这份报告必须在月底之前提交，否则会影响整个团队的进度。 This report must be submitted by the end of the month, otherwise it will affect the progress of the entire team.
2. 每到月底，他都会仔细整理本月的收入和支出账目。 At the end of each month, he carefully organises his income and expenditure accounts for the month.
3. 房租是按月支付的，月底缴纳，他提前几天就把钱准备好了。 Rent is paid monthly, due at the end of the month, and he prepares the money a few days in advance.

Usage Guide

Context: business, everyday, finance

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这个任务要在月底前完成。(This task needs to be completed by the end of the month.)
• 月底了，你要记得缴房租。(It's the end of the month — remember to pay your rent.)

Don't Say

• 将'月底'误用为'月末' — 两者实际上含义相同，可以互换 (Note: 月底 and 月末 are essentially synonymous and interchangeable — both mean end of the month)

Origin & History

A compound of 月 (moon; pictograph of the crescent moon, also means month) and 底 (bottom/end; 广 building + 氏 clan, denoting the base or lowest point). Together they mean the bottom of the month — its end.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal