平日

へいじつ

weekday

JLPT N2

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

"平日" (へいじつ) means "weekday" or "working day," referring to the days from Monday to Friday, excluding weekends and holidays. It is commonly used in everyday conversation to distinguish regular workdays from weekends.

Common Contexts

People often use "平日" when talking about work schedules, business hours, or when comparing busy and quiet times. For example, shops or services might have different hours on 平日 versus weekends.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 平日は (へいじつは): used to mark weekdays as the topic, often to describe routines or conditions.
  • 平日に + verb: indicates an action occurring on a weekday.
  • 平日のみ: means "only on weekdays," often used in business contexts.

Register and Nuance

"平日" is neutral and appropriate in both formal and informal contexts. It is a standard term used in schedules, announcements, and daily conversation.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse "平日" with "休日" (holiday) or "週末" (weekend). Remember, "平日" excludes weekends and holidays, so it specifically means Monday through Friday.

Example Sentences

へいじつはしごとでいそがしいです。

I am busy with work on weekdays.

へいじつにえいがかんにいくと、すいています。

If you go to the cinema on a weekday, it is less crowded.

このみせはへいじつのみえいぎょうしています。

This shop is open only on weekdays.