Sentence Guide
How to pronounce 今天星期几？ (jīn tiān xīng qī jǐ)
今天星期几？ means "What day of the week is it today?". Use this guide to lock in the tone pattern, articulation target, and the mistake most learners still make.
Short answer
今天星期几？ is pronounced jīn tiān xīng qī jǐ and means "What day of the week is it today?". The key target is palatal, with the tone pattern Tone 1 + Tone 1 + Tone 1 + Tone 1 + Tone 3.
Why learners miss it
Learners often miss 今天星期几？ because the palatal initials often get dragged backward into sh and ch territory.
Self-test
Record 今天星期几？, then check whether your pitch contour and articulation match jīn tiān xīng qī jǐ.
Pinyin
jīn tiān xīng qī jǐ
Tone Pattern
Tone 1 + Tone 1 + Tone 1 + Tone 1 + Tone 3
Pronunciation Focus
palatal
How to say it
Guided fix
How to shape this pronunciation
What to do
Say jīn slowly first, then keep the target sound steady as you move through the rest of 今天星期几？.
What to avoid
Do not let the whole word flatten into one rushed shape. Keep the target consonant or tone contrast clear.
What to listen for
The key sound should stay distinct instead of collapsing toward the nearest easy English habit.
Quick self-check
Say jīn tiān xīng qī jǐ once slowly and once at normal speed. If the target sound disappears when you speed up, it is not stable yet.
Phonetic Breakdown
j+in_t+ian_x+ing_q+i_j+i
Most common error
Error summary
The palatal initials often get dragged backward into sh and ch territory.
What it turns into
backward -> territory
Focus area
Palatal
Difficulty
Easy
HSK Level
HSK1