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週末 (しゅうまつ, shuumatsu) Japanese meaning: weekend | Kotomora

週しゅう末まつ

しゅ

う

ま

つ

Common word›JLPTN4›Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

Refers to the end of the week, typically Saturday and Sunday. Can be used as a noun or adverbially.

週しゅう末まつはいつも家か族ぞくと過すごします。

I always spend the weekend with my family.

週しゅう末まつに友とも達だちと映えい画がを見みに行いく予よ定ていです。

I plan to go see a movie with a friend this weekend.

Usage patterns

週しゅう末まつに〈動どう詞し〉to do something on the weekend
週しゅう末まつに友とも達だちと買かい物ものに行いく。
I'm going shopping with a friend on the weekend.
週しゅう末まつを過すごすto spend the weekend (a certain way)
家か族ぞくと静しずかな週しゅう末まつを過すごした。
I spent a quiet weekend with my family.
良よい週しゅう末まつをhave a nice weekend (a common parting phrase)
それでは、良よい週しゅう末まつを。
Well then, have a nice weekend!

Kanji

週week
末end, close, tip

Related words

連れん休きゅうN3
週末 is the regular Saturday–Sunday period, while 連休 means several consecutive holidays or a long weekend that may extend beyond just the weekend.
今こん週しゅう末まつ
週末 is the general word for 'weekend', while 今週末 specifies that it is the weekend of the current week.
ウィークエンドN1
週末 is the standard, neutral Japanese word for 'weekend' used in all contexts, while ウィークエンド is a loanword with a trendier, more leisure-oriented feel often seen in ads.
土ど日にち
週末 is a more general term for 'weekend' and can include Friday evening or the entire end-of-week period, while 土日 strictly means Saturday and Sunday.
土ど曜よう日びN5
週末 refers to the weekend as a whole (Saturday and Sunday), whereas 土曜日 names the specific day Saturday.

Opposites

週しゅう明あけN2
週末 refers to the end of the week (Saturday and Sunday), while 週明け refers to the start of the new week, typically Monday.
ウィークデーN1
週末 means 'weekend', the direct opposite of ウィークデー, which refers to Monday through Friday.

Don't confuse with

週しゅう休きゅうN1
週休 means a fixed weekly day off that may fall on any day, while 週末 specifically means the weekend (Saturday and Sunday).
毎まい週しゅうN5
週末 means 'weekend' (a specific part of the week), while 毎週 means 'every week' (a recurring frequency); learners sometimes confuse them because both contain 週.
終しゅう末まつ
週末 is a homophone meaning 'weekend' (written with 週), easily confused with 終末 'end' (written with 終).

Word family

今こん週しゅう末まつ
this weekend
週しゅう末まつ婚こん
commuter marriage; weekend marriage
週しゅう末まつ起き業ぎょう
weekend startup; side business launched while keeping a day job

Etymology

Compound of 週 (しゅう, 'week') and 末 (まつ, 'end').