Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Day" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "day", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
曜日
ようび (youbi)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
明後日
あさって (asatte)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "day" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 曜日 and 明後日.
In Japanese, 曜日 (ようび (youbi)) is typically associated with "day of the week" (Syllabus Level: N5) and represents Used to ask or state which day of the week it is.
On the other hand, 明後日 (あさって (asatte)) maps to "the day after tomorrow" (Syllabus Level: N5) and represents Refers to two days after today. This is the common form for 'the day after tomorrow' in both spoken and written Japanese.. A literal translation of "day" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "曜日"
今日は何曜日ですか。
What day of the week is it today?
Bilingual Context for "明後日"
明後日、大阪へ出張に行きます。
I will go on a business trip to Osaka the day after tomorrow.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "今日は何 ＿＿＿ ですか。" (Meaning: "What day of the week is it today?")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "曜日" fits here because it means "day of the week" in the context of: "What day of the week is it today?". "明後日" represents "the day after tomorrow".