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The Meaning Of Weekday Names
Hint: For correct display of this page at least the font "Lucida Sans Unicode" and a Japanese font should be installed.
I will add more languages to this page in future, whenever I have time for this - many languages are still waiting on my note papers.
Explanation of the used abbreviations and symbols

Language: Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
In the line with the
arrow you find hints
to the original meaning
of the words
In the "language lines" every part of a word is colour-marked to indicate its supposed origin from a given language group or family:
Germanic   Italic/Romance   Celtic   Slavonic   Baltic   Greek   Indo-Iranian   other Indo-European   Semitic
Bantu   other African   Uralic   Altaic   Sino-Tibetan   Austronesian   South American   not classified
Dashes "-" without colour marking are inserted only for clearly showing the structure of the original words!

Icelandic: mánu-dagur þriðju-dagur mið-viku-dagur fimmtu-dagur föstu-dagur laugar-dagur sunnu-dagur
T ③a T 中 W T ⑤a T F? T L? T T

Faroese: mána-dagur týs-dagur mi-ku-dagur hós-dagur fríggja-dagur leygar-dagur sunnu-dagur
T D(Tiu)Ⅱ T 中 W T D(Thor)Ⅱ T D(Frigga) T L? T T

Swedish: mån-dag tis-dag ons-dag tors-dag fre-dag lör-dag sön-dag
Norwegian (nynorsk): mån-dag tys-dag ons-dag tors-dag fre-dag laur-dag søn-dag
Norwegian (bokmål): man-dag tirs-dag ons-dag tors-dag fre-dag lør-dag søn-dag
Danish: man-dag tirs-dag ons-dag tors-dag fre-dag lør-dag søn-dag
T D(Tiu)Ⅱ T D(Odin)Ⅱ T D(Thor)Ⅱ T D(Frigga) T L? T T

Frisian: Moan-dei Tiis-dei Woans-dei Tongers-dei Free-d Sn-eon Sn-ein
T D(Tiu)Ⅱ T D(Odin)Ⅱ T D(Thor)Ⅱ T D(Frigga) T evening? ?

English: Mon-day Tues-day Wednes-day Thurs-day Fri-day Satur-day Sun-day
T D(Tiu)Ⅱ T D(Odin)Ⅱ T D(Thor)Ⅱ T D(Frigga) T D(Saturnus) T T

Dutch: maan-dag dins-dag woens-dag donder-dag vrij-dag zater-dag zon-dag
Afrikaans: maan-dag dins-dag woens-dag donder-dag vry-dag sater-dag son-dag
T ThⅡ T D(Odin)Ⅱ T D(Thor) T D(Frigga) T D(Saturnus) T T

Low German: Maan-dag Dings-dag Midde-weeken Donders-dag Free-dag Sünn-abend Sonn-dag
Austrian German: Mon-tag Diens-tag Mitt-woch Donners-tag Frei-tag Sonn-abend Sonn-tag
T ThⅡ T 中 W D(Thor)Ⅱ T D(Frigga) T Abend T

Old High German: mane-tag zios-tag mitta-wehha donars-tag frije-tag sambaz-tag sunnun-tag
Middle High German: mane-tac zies-tac mitt-woche donars-tac vri-tac sambaz-tac sunnun-tac
Swiss German: meen-tig zysch-tig mitt-woch dunsch-tig fry-tig samsch-tig sun-tig
T D(Tiu)Ⅱ T 中 W D(Thor)Ⅱ T D(Frigga) T 休 T T

Swabian: mee-tig ziisch-tig mi-g-de dõõsch-tig frai-tig sambs-tig sunn-tig
T D(Tiu)Ⅱ T 中 W? T D(Thor)Ⅱ T D(Frigga) T 休 T T

German: Mon-tag Diens-tag Mitt-woch Donners-tag Frei-tag Sams-tag Sonn-tag
Luxembourgian: Méin-deg Dënsch-deg Mëtt-woch Donnesch-deg Fréi-deg Samsch-deg Sonn-deg
Yiddish: mon-tik dins-tik mit-woch donersch-tik frai-tik schabes sun-tik
T ThⅡ T 中 W D(Thor)Ⅱ T D(Frigga) T 休 [T] T

Classical Latin: dies lunae dies martis dies mercurii dies iovis dies veneris dies saturni dies solis
T Ⅱ T D(Mars)Ⅱ T D(Mercurius)Ⅱ T D(Iuppiter)Ⅱ T D(Venus)Ⅱ T D(Saturnus)Ⅱ T Ⅱ
Late Latin: dies lunae dies martis dies mercurii dies iovis dies veneris dies sabbatorum dies domini
T Ⅱ T D(Mars)Ⅱ T D(Mercurius)Ⅱ T D(Iuppiter)Ⅱ T D(Venus)Ⅱ T 休Ⅱ T 主Ⅱ

Vulgar Latin 1: dies lunae dies martis dies mercurii dies iovis dies veneris dies sabbata /
sabbatum		 dies dominica /
dominicus
T Ⅱ T D(Mars)Ⅱ T D(Mercurius)Ⅱ T D(Iuppiter)Ⅱ T D(Venus)Ⅱ [T] 休a [T] 主a
Catalan: dil-luns di-marts di-mecres di-jous di-vendres dis-sabte diumenge
Occitan: di-luns di-marts di-mecres di-jous di-vendres di-sabte dimenge
T Ⅱ T D(Mars)Ⅱ T D(Mercurius)Ⅱ T D(Iuppiter)Ⅱ T D(Venus)Ⅱ T 休a 主a
Friulian: lùnis màrtis miàrcus jóibe vìnars sàbide domènie
Romanian: luni marţi miercuri joi vineri sâmbătă duminică
Spanish: lunes martes miercoles jueves viernes sabado domingo
Quechua: lunis martis mirkulis huybis birnis sabadu dumingu
Tagalog: lúnes martés miyerkoles huwébes biyérnes sábado linggó
Cebuano: Lunes Martes Miyérkoles Huwébes Biyérnes Sabado Domínggo
Ⅱ D(Mars)Ⅱ D(Mercurius)Ⅱ D(Iuppiter)Ⅱ D(Venus)Ⅱ 休a 主a

Vulgar Latin 2: lunae dies martis dies mercurii dies iovis dies veneris dies sabbata dies /
sabbatum		 dominica dies /
dominicus
Ⅱ T D(Mars)Ⅱ T D(Mercurius)Ⅱ T D(Iuppiter)Ⅱ T D(Venus)Ⅱ T 休a [T] 主a [T]
Italian: lune-di marte-di mercole-di giove-di vener-di sabato domenica
French: lun-di mar-di mercre-di jeu-di vendre-di same-di dimanche
Esperanto: lun-do mar-do merkre-do ĵaŭ-do vendre-do sabato dimanĉo
Ⅱ T D(Mars)Ⅱ T D(Mercurius)Ⅱ T D(Iuppiter)Ⅱ T D(Venus)Ⅱ T 休a [T] 主a

Ecclesiastical Latin: secunda feria tertia feria quarta feria / media hebdomas quinta feria sexta feria sabbatum dominicus
Portuguese: segunda-feira terça-feira quarta-feira quinta-feira sexta-feira sabado domingo
Tetum: segunda [feira] tersa [feira] kuarta [feira] kinta [feira] sesta [feira] sábadu domingu
②a 休 ③a 休 ④a 休 / 中 WⅡ ⑤a 休 ⑥a 休 休a 主a

Welsh: dydd Llun dydd Mawrth dydd Mercher dydd Iau dydd Gwener dydd Sadwrn dydd Sul
Breton: di-lun di-meurz di-merher dir-iaou di-gwener di-sadorn di-sul
Cornish: De Lun De Merth De Merher De Yow De Gwener De Sadorn De Sul
T (Luna) T D(Mars) T D(Mercurius) T D(Iuppiter) T D(Venus) T D(Saturnus) T (Sol)
Scots Gaelic: Di-Luain Di-Mairt Di-Ciad-ain Di-Ard-aoin Di h-Aoine Di-Sathurna Di-Domhnaich
Irish: Dé Luain Dé Máirt Dé Céad-aoin Dé-ard-aoin Dé hAoine Dé Sathairn Dé Domhnaigh
Manx Gaelic: Je-lhein Je-mayrt Jer-ce-an Je-rd-ein Je-heiney Je-sarn Je-doonee
T (Luna) T D(Mars) T ①a F? T high? F? T F? T D(Saturnus) T 主a

Old Church Slavic: по-не-делъкъ въторъкъ среда четврьтъкъ петъкъ собота не-деля
Bulgarian: по-не-делник вторник сряда четвъртък петък събота не-деля
Macedonian: по-не-делник вторник среда четврток петок сабота не-дела
Ukrainian: по-не-делак вівторок середа четвер пятница субота не-діля
Belorussian: па-ня-дзелак аўторак серада чацвер пятніца субота ня-дзеля
Serbian: по-не-дељак уторак среда четвртак петак субота не-деља
Croatian: po-ne-djeljak utorak srijeda četvrtak petak subota ne-djelja
Czech: po-n-dělí úterý středa čtvrtek pátek sobota ne-děle
Slovak: po-n-delok utorok streda štvrtok piatok sobota ne-deľa
Slovenian: po-ne-déljek tôrek sréda četŕtek pétek sobóta ne-délja
Polish: po-nie-działek wtorek środa czwartek piątek sobota nie-dziela
Kashubian: pó-nie-dziołk wtórk strzoda czwiôrtk pjątk sobòta nie-dzela
Upper Sorbian: pó-n-dźela wutora srjeda stwórtk pjatk sobota nje-dźela
after not[hing] do ②a 中 ④a ⑤a 休a not[hing] do
Russian: по-не-дельник вторник среда четверг пятница суббота воскресенье
after not[hing] do ②a 中 ④a ⑤a 休a resurrection

Latvian: pirm-diena otr-diena treš-diena cetur-diena piekt-diena sest-diena svēt-diena
Lithuanian: pirmã-dienis antrã-dienis trečiš-dienis ketvirtã-dienis penktã-dienis šeštã-dienis sekmã-dienis
①a T ②a T ③a T ④a T ⑤a T ⑥a T holy T

Ancient Greek: Ήμερα Σεληνης
hëmera Selënës		 Ήμερα Αρεως
hëmera Areös		 Ήμερα Έρμου
hëmera Hermou		 Ήμερα Διος
hëmera Dios		 Ήμερα Αφροδιτης
hëmera Afroditës		 Ήμερα Κρονου
hëmera Kronou		 Ήμερα Ήηλιου
hëmera Hëliou
T(Selene)Ⅱ T D(Ares)Ⅱ T D(Hermes)Ⅱ T D(Zeus)Ⅱ T D(Aphrodite)Ⅱ T D(Kronos)Ⅱ T (Helios)Ⅱ
Modern Greek: Δευτέρα
deftéra		 Τρίτη
tríti		 Τεταρτη
tetárti		 Πέμπτη
pémpti		 Παρασκευή
paraskeví		 Σάββατο
sábbato		 Κυριακή
kiriakí
②a ③a ④a ⑤a preparation 休a 主a

Albanian: e hënë e martë e mërkurë e enjte e premte e shtunë e diel
a D(Mars)a D(Mercurius)a ?a ?a D(Saturnus)a a

Hindi: सोमवार
som-vār		 मंगलवार
mangal-vār		 बुधवार
budh-vār		 बृहस्पतिवार
brhas-pati-vār		 शुक्रवार
šukra-vār		 शनिवार
šani-vār		 रविवार
ravi-vār
T (auspicious) T (wise) T (great 主) T (clear) T (slow) T T

Romany 1: lúja márci tetrádži žója paraštují sávato kurkó
Ⅱ D(Mars)Ⅱ ④a D(Iuppiter)Ⅱ preparation 休a 主a
Romany 2: ponedelníko utorníko tetrádži četvorníko paraštují sávato kurkó
nach nicht[s] tun ②a ④a ④a preparation 休a 主a

Finnish: maanan-tai tiis-tai keski-viikko tors-tai perjan-tai lauan-tai sunnun-tai
Ⅱ T D(Tiu)Ⅱ T 中 W D(Thor)Ⅱ T D(Frigga)Ⅱ T L? T Ⅱ T
Estonian: esmas-päev teisi-päev kolma-päev nelja-päev ree-de lau-päev püha-päev
①a T ②a T ③a T ④a T D(Frigga) T L? T 休 T
Hungarian: hétfő kedd szerda csütörtök pentek szombat vasár-nap
①a ②a 中 ④a ⑤a 休 resurrection T

Japanese: 月曜日
getsu-yō-bi		 火曜日
ka-yō-bi		 水曜日
sui-yō-bi		 木曜日
moku-yō-bi		 金曜日
kin-yō-bi		 土曜日
do-yō-bi		 日曜日
nichi-yō-bi
Korean: 月曜日
wŏl-yo-il		 火曜日
hwa-yo-il		 水曜日
su-yo-il		 木曜日
mok-yo-il		 金曜日
kŭm-yo-il		 土曜日
to-yo-il		 日曜日
il-yo-il
S T (fire) S T (water) S T (wood) S T (metal) S T (soil) S T S T

Turkish: pazar-tesi salı çar-şamba per-şembe cuma cumar-tesi pazar
bazaar after ③a ④a 休 ⑤a 休 会 会 after bazaar

Mongolian 1: даваа [гараг]
dawaa [garag]		 мягмар [гараг]
mjagmar [garag]		 лхагва [гараг]
lhagwa [garag]		 пүрэв [гараг]
pürew [garag]		 баасан [гараг]
baasan [garag]		 бямба [гараг]
bjamba [garag]		 ням [гараг]
njam [garag]
[Pl] [Pl] [Pl] [Pl] [Pl] [Pl] [Pl]
Mongolian 2: нэгдэх өдөр
negdeh ödör		 хоёрдах өдөр
hojordah ödör		 гуравдах өдөр
gurawdah ödör		 дөрөвдэх өдөр
döröwdeh ödör		 тавдах өдөр
tawdah ödör		 хагас сайн өдөр
hagas sajn ödör		 бүтэн сайн өдөр
büten sajn ödör
①a T ②a T ③a T ④a T ⑤a T half good T whole good T

Tibetan: (gsa.sla.ba)
sa-dawa		 (gsa.mig.dmar)
sa-mimaa		 (gsa.lhag.pa)
sa-lhagpa		 (gsa.pur.pu)
sa-p'uubu		 (gsa.spa.sang)
sa-pasang		 (gsa.spen.pa)
sa-penpa		 (gsa.nyi.ma)
sa-nyima
T T T T T T T
Mandarin 1: 星期一
xīng-qī-yī		 星期二
xīng-qī-èr		 星期三
xīng-qī-sān		 星期四
xīng-qī-sì		 星期五
xīng-qī-wǔ		 星期六
xīng-qī-liù		 星期日
xīng-qī-rì
P ① P ② P ③ P ④ P ⑤ P ⑥ P
Mandarin 2: 星期一
xīng-qī-yī		 星期二
xīng-qī-èr		 星期三
xīng-qī-sān		 星期四
xīng-qī-sì		 星期五
xīng-qī-wǔ		 星期六
xīng-qī-liù		 星期天
xīng-qī-tiān
Cantonese 1: 星期一
sìng-kèi-yāt		 星期二
sìng-kèi-yi		 星期三
sìng-kèi-sàam		 星期四
sìng-kèi-sei		 星期五
sìng-kèi-nģ		 星期六
sìng-kèi-luk		 星期天
sìng-kèi-tìn
P ① P ② P ③ P ④ P ⑤ P ⑥ P T
Cantonese 2: 禮拜一
lái-baai-yāt		 禮拜二
lái-baai-yi		 禮拜三
lái-baai-sàam		 禮拜四
lái-baai-sei		 禮拜五
lái-baai-nģ		 禮拜六
lái-baai-luk		 禮拜日
lái-baai-[yat]
ritual V ① ritual V ② ritual V ③ ritual V ④ ritual V ⑤ ritual V ⑥ ritual V
Vietnamese: [ngày] thứ hai [ngày] thứ ba [ngày] thứ tư [ngày] thứ năm [ngày] thứ sáu [ngày] thứ bảy [ngày] chủ nhật
[T] ②a [T] ③a [T] ④a [T] ⑤a [T] ⑥a [T] ⑦a [T] 主

Hawaiian: Pō 'akahi Pō 'alua Pō 'akolu Pō 'ahā Pō 'alima Pō 'aōno Lā-pule
N ①a N ②a N ③a N ④a N ⑤a N ⑥a pray*
Samoan: aso Gafua aso Lua aso Lulu aso Tofi aso Farai-le aso To'ona'i aso Sā
T freedom T ②a T owl? T assignment T D(Frigga) T** T feast T holy
*: pule ← English: [to] pray !       **: Faraile ← English: Friday

Indonesian: hari Senén hari Selasa hari Rabu hari Kamis hari Jumat hari Sabtu hari Minggu
T ②a T ③a T ④a T ⑤a T 会 T 休a T 主a

Maltese: it-Tnejn it-Tlieta l-Erbgħa il-Ħamis il-Ġimgha is-Sibt il-Ħadd
la ②a la ③a la ④a la ⑤a la 会 la 休 la ①a
Malagasy: al-atsinainy talata al-arobia ala-kamisy zoma sabotsy al-ahady
la ②a ③a la ④a la ⑤a 会 休 la ①a
Hausa: L-ittinin Talata L-araba Al-hamis Jumma'a A-sabar L-ahadi
la ②a ③a la ④a la ⑤a 会 la 休 la ①a

Yoruba 1 (traditional): o̩jó̩ Ajé o̩jó̩ Is̩è̩gun o̩jó̩ [Ri] Ru o̩jó̩ [Bi] Bo̩ o̩jó̩ E̩ti o̩jó̩ Abam-e̩ta o̩jó̩ Àikú
T profit T victory T sacrifice T creation T deadlock T motions ③ T immortality
Yoruba 2 (counted): o̩jó̩ keji ò̩sè̩ o̩jó̩ ke̩ta ò̩sè̩ o̩jó̩ ke̩rin ò̩sè̩ o̩jó̩ kãrun ò̩sè̩ o̩jó̩ ke̩fà ò̩sè̩ o̩jó̩ keje ò̩sè̩ o̩jó̩ [kini] ò̩sè̩
T ②a W T ③a W T ④a W T ⑤a W T ⑥a W T ⑦a W T [①a] W
Yoruba 3 (borrowed): [o̩jó̩] Mo̩n-dé [o̩jó̩] Tusi-dé [o̩jó̩] Wesi-dé [o̩jó̩] Àl-àmísì [o̩jó̩] Jimõ̩ [o̩jó̩] Sati-dé [o̩jó̩] So̩n-dé
[T] T [T] D(Tiu)Ⅱ T [T] D(Odin)Ⅱ T [T] la ⑤a [T] 会 [T] D(Saturnus) T [T] T

Swahili: juma-tatu juma-nne juma-tano al-hamisi i-jumaa juma-mosi juma-pili
W ③ W ④ W ⑤ la ⑤a la 会 W ① W ②

Guaraní: ara-koi ara-py ara-ndy ara-po ara-po-tei ara-po-koi ara-tei
T* ② T* ③ T* ④ T* hand** T* hand** ① T* hand** ② T* ①
*: in Guaraní the word "ara" means time, day, and weather.
**: because the real Guaraní numbers end with number 4, the word "po" (= hand) is used as substitute for the missing 5.

The seven "classical planets" for comparison
Because all of them move in the sky, long ago also the sun and the moon were considered "planets" (= wanderers).

  Moon Mars Mercury Jupiter Venus Saturn Sun
European
symbols:
Sumerian: suen si-mu-ud udu-idim-gu-ud mul-sag-me-gas nin-si-an-na udu-idim-sag-us utu
Babylonian: sin salbatanu sihtu neberu delebat kayamanu šamaš
=D(Sin) →D(Nergal) →D(Nabu) →D(Marduk) →D(Ishtar) →D(Ninurta) =D(Šamaš)
Greek: Σελήνη
Selene		 Άρης
Ares		 Ερμής
Hermes		 Ζεύς/Δίας
Zeus/Dias		 Αφροδίτη
Aphrodite		 Κρόνος
Kronos		 Ήλιος
Helios
=D(Selene) =D(Ares) =D(Hermes) =D(Zeus) =D(Aphrodite) =D(Kronos) =D(Helios)
Latin: Luna, Lunae Mars, Martis Mercurius, Mercurii Iuppiter, Iovis Venus, Veneris Saturnus, Saturni Sol, Solis
=D(Luna) =D(Mars) =D(Mercurius) =D(Iuppiter) =D(Venus) =D(Saturnus) =D(Sol)
Germanic: maane   ?     ?     ?     ?     ?   sunnu
→D(Tiu) →D(Odin) →D(Thor) →D(Frigga) →D(Loki?)
German: Mond Mars Merkur Jupiter Venus /
Morgen-stern /
Abend-stern		 Saturn Sonne
D(Mars) D(Mercurius) D(Iuppiter) D(Venus) /
morning /
evening 		D(Saturnus)
Sanskrit: चन्द्रः / सोमः
candra / soma		 मङ्गलग्रहः
mangala-graha		 बुधग्रहः
budha-graha		 गुरुग्रहः
guru-graha		 शुक्रग्रहः
śukra-graha		 शनिग्रहः
śani-graha		 सूर्यः / रविः
sūrya / ravi
auspicious Pl wise Pl important Pl clear Pl slow Pl
classical
Chinese
symbols:		 月 火星 水星 木星 金星 土星 日
fire water wood metal soil
Mandarin: 月亮 / 月球
yuè-liang / yuè-qiú		 火星
huǒ-xīng		 水星
shuǐ-xīng		 木星
mù-xīng		 金星
jīn-xīng		 土星
tǔ-xīng		 太陽 {太阳}
dà-yáng
bright / sphere fire water wood metal soil thick 陽
Japanese: 月
tsuki		 火星
ka-sei		 水星
sui-sei		 木星
moku-sei		 金星
kin-sei		 土星
do-sei		 日 / 太陽
hi / tai-yō
fire water wood metal soil / thick 陽
The names of the planets in some more languages

Hints:
Latin transcriptions without "official" status are shown in thin face.
Words separated by dash (-) on white background are normally written together, these dashes are intended only for clarification of the word composition.
Current count of the weekday language lines: 90


Abbreviations and symbols used within the blue rows
Sun Ddeity =(considered equal to)
Moon F(to keep a) fast →(associated with)
star Lwashing   
Mars la(determined form with article) -Ⅱ(genitive form)
Mercury Nnight -a(adjective form)
Jupiter Pperiod ①one (cardinal number)
Venus Plplanet ①afirst (ordinal number)
Saturn Sshine ②two (cardinal number)
中middle, center Tday ②asecond (ordinal number)
主master Ththing (public assembly)   
休rest, Sabbath (closing day) Vto venerate /or
会assembly, meeting Wweek [...](optional:) ...
陽positive, bright    {...}(simplified script:) ...



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