A2 noun Informal #4,500 most common 1 min read

礼拜

lǐbài /li˨˩˦ paɪ/
Practice it

Use '礼拜' as a casual alternative to '星期' or to describe religious worship.

Word in 30 Seconds

  • Commonly used as a colloquial synonym for week
  • Refers to religious worship or service
  • Frequently used with numbers for days

1) 概览：礼拜是一个多义词，最常用的含义是作为“星期”的同义词，用于日常口语交流。在宗教语境下，它特指信徒向神灵表达敬意的仪式。

2) 使用模式：在表示时间时，常与数字组合，如“礼拜一”、“礼拜天”。在表示宗教活动时，常与动词“做”搭配，即“做礼拜”。

3) 常见语境：在北方方言区，人们习惯用“礼拜”代替“星期”。在基督教文化中，周日去教堂参加聚会也被称为“做礼拜”。

4) 近义词辨析：与“星期”相比，“礼拜”的口语色彩更浓，在书面语中，“星期”或“周”的使用频率更高。两者在表示时间跨度时可以完全互换，但在宗教语境下，“礼拜”具有唯一性。

Examples

1

下礼拜我们去爬山。

everyday

We will go hiking next week.

2

他每个周日都去教堂做礼拜。

formal

He goes to church for worship every Sunday.

3

这礼拜我很忙。

informal

I am very busy this week.

4

本礼拜的会议已取消。

academic

The meeting for this week has been canceled.

Common Collocations

下礼拜 next week
做礼拜 attend a religious service
礼拜天 Sunday

Common Phrases

礼拜几

which day of the week

礼拜天

Sunday

Often Confused With

礼拜 vs 星期

They are synonyms for 'week'. '星期' is more standard in writing, while '礼拜' is more colloquial.

礼拜 vs 周

Used for 'week' but sounds more formal and concise, often used in business or academic settings.

Grammar Patterns

下/上/这 + 礼拜 礼拜 + 一/二/三/四/五/六/天 做 + 礼拜

How to Use It

Usage Notes

Use '礼拜' primarily in spoken Chinese, especially in Northern China. It is interchangeable with '星期' when referring to time. Avoid using it in highly formal or written contexts where '周' is preferred.

Common Mistakes

Beginners often try to use '礼拜' in formal writing where it sounds too casual. Some learners confuse '做礼拜' with other activities and try to replace the verb '做'. Remember that '礼拜' as a time unit does not take a verb.

Tips

💡

Use it in casual conversation

When speaking with friends in Northern China, use '礼拜' instead of '星期' to sound more natural and localized.

⚠️

Avoid in formal writing

In academic or official documents, prefer using '星期' or '周' as they are more standard and professional.

🌍

Religious roots of the word

The word originally comes from religious worship, which is why it is still used to describe attending church services today.

Word Origin

The word originated from religious practices of bowing or worshiping. Over time, because these activities occurred on a weekly basis, it became a common term for the seven-day week.

Cultural Context

In China, '礼拜' reflects the influence of Western religious calendars on the language. It remains a deeply embedded part of colloquial Mandarin despite its religious origins.

Memory Tip

Think of '礼拜' as 'worshiping time'. Since worship happens weekly, the word evolved to mean the seven-day cycle.

Frequently Asked Questions

4 questions

它们在表示时间时意思完全相同，可以互换使用。区别在于“星期”在书面语中更常用，而“礼拜”在北方口语中更为普遍。

这是指参加宗教仪式，通常指基督徒在周日去教堂聚会。这是一个固定搭配，不能说“做星期”。

两者意思相同，都指一周的最后一天。在口语中“礼拜天”更常用，书面语中“礼拜日”或“周日”更常见。

它可以表示一周内的某一天，例如“礼拜五”。但它不能直接指代具体的月历日期（如10月1日）。

Test Yourself

fill blank

我打算下___去北京旅游。

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: d

在表示时间时，这三个词在口语中都可以互换。

multiple choice

关于“礼拜”的用法，以下哪项是正确的？

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: a

“做礼拜”是表示宗教活动的固定动宾搭配。

sentence building

礼拜 / 我们 / 去 / 下 / 公园

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: b

时间状语通常放在主语之后或句首。

Score: /3

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