atitarev Posted April 8, 2008 at 05:45 AM Report Share Posted April 8, 2008 at 05:45 AM According to this site, these modern Japanese and Korean names are the traditional Chinese names for names of the week: http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/calendar.html There are, at least 3 methods to talk about weekdays in Chinese (星期一..., 礼拜一..., 周一). This is the 4th, the Japanese/Korean way, the Japanese/Korean pronunciation is given in square brackets, "ō" is a long "o", not the 1st tone "o": 月耀/曜日 Yuèyàorì Monday, Japanese: [Getsuyōbi], Korean: 월요일 [Woryoil] 火曜日 Huǒyàorì Tuesday, Japanese: [Kayōbi], Korean: 화요일 [Hwayoil] 水曜日 Shuǐyàorì Wednesday, Japanese: [suiyōbi], Korean: 수요일 [suyoil] 木曜日 Mùyàorì Thursday, Japanese: [Mokuyōbi], Korean: 목요일 [Mogyoil] 金曜日 Jīnyàorì Friday, Japanese: [Kin'yōbi], Korean: 금요일 [Geumyoil] 土曜日 Tǔyàorì Saturday, Japanese: [Doyōbi], Korean: 토요일 [Toyoil] 日曜日 Rìyàorì Sunday, Japanese: [Nichiyōbi], Korean: 일요일 [iryoil] These are not based on numbers but on 月 (moon), 火 (fire), 水 (water), 木 (tree), 金 (gold), 土 (earth), 日 (sun). I wonder why ABC dictionary has entries for Japanese names of the week. Do these words have any usage in the Chinese culture (mainland, Taiwan, etc.) ? 耀 is variant of 曜, which is not used in Japanese. Some other site said these were abandoned early in the 20th century. (My guess is, there was some revival in Taiwan later in the 20th century). Do Chinese people understand, ever use these words? Were they used in the old literature? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gato Posted April 8, 2008 at 06:42 AM Report Share Posted April 8, 2008 at 06:42 AM It's actually from the Babylonians: Sun 日 Moon 月 Mars 火星 Mercury 水星 Jupiter 金星 Venus 木星 Saturn 土星 http://www.mathpages.com/home/kmath138.htm Latin French Saxon English Sun Dies Solis Dimanche Sun's day Sunday Moon Dies Lunae Lundi Moon's day Monday Mars Dies Martis Mardi Tiw's day Tuesday Mercury Dies Mercurri Mercredi Woden's day Wednesday Jupiter Dies Jovis Jeudi Thor's day Thursday Venus Dies Veneris Vendredi Frigg's day Friday Saturn Dies Saturni Samedi Seterne's day Saturday http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Days_of_the_week Various sources point to the seven day week originated in ancient Babylonia or Sumer. It has been suggested that a seven day week might be much older. The seven day planetary week originated in Hellenistic Egypt. In any event, a seven day week based on heavenly luminaries eventually diffused both East and West, to the Romans via the Greeks, and to the Japanese via Manicheans, Indians and Chinese. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atitarev Posted April 8, 2008 at 11:11 AM Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2008 at 11:11 AM Thanks, Gato, I didn't know that Western and Eastern names of the week are related. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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