Understanding "日期" - Chinese Word Explanation

1. Basic Information

• Word: 日期
• Pinyin: rì qī
• Literal Meaning: "day" (日) + "period/date" (期)
• Primary Meaning: Refers to a specific date or day, often used to denote calendar dates, deadlines, or scheduled events.

2. In-depth Explanation

• Context and Usage:
• "日期" is a neutral term used in both formal and informal contexts to talk about dates. It can refer to a single day (e.g., "today's date") or a range of dates (e.g., "travel dates").
• Commonly used in daily life, business, and official documents (e.g., contracts, invitations).

• Unlike "日子" (rì zi), which can imply a more general sense of "days" or "life," "日期" is strictly about calendar dates.

• Character Breakdown:

• 日 (rì): Means "sun" or "day."
• 期 (qī): Means "period," "term," or "scheduled time." Together, they emphasize a specific day or time frame.

3. Example Sentences

1. Chinese: 请告诉我你的出生日期。
   Pinyin: Qǐng gàosu wǒ nǐ de chūshēng rìqī.
   English: Please tell me your date of birth.

2. Chinese: 会议的日期改到下周一了。
   Pinyin: Huìyì de rìqī gǎi dào xià zhōuyī le.
   English: The meeting date has been changed to next Monday.

3. Chinese: 这个产品的保质期日期印在包装上。
   Pinyin: Zhège chǎnpǐn de bǎozhìqī rìqī yìn zài bāozhuāng shàng.
   English: The expiration date of this product is printed on the packaging.

Cultural Notes

• In Chinese culture, dates (日期) are often written in the order of year-month-day (e.g., 2023-12-25), especially in formal contexts.
• Important dates like festivals (e.g., Lunar New Year) or personal milestones (birthdays) are highly emphasized, so "日期" is frequently used in planning and celebrations.

Conclusion

"日期" (rì qī) is a practical and essential word for discussing dates in Chinese. Remember it combines "day" (日) and "period" (期), and use it whenever you need to refer to a specific day or deadline. Practice with the examples to master its usage!