week

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The on reading is しゅう, and no kun reading is listed. It has 11 strokes and relates to a week as a period and the final part of that week.
• Basic usage: 週 is read しゅう, and 週末 is read しゅうまつ.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 週 / 週末
  • 週 means week and is read しゅう. It refers to a week as a unit of time used in schedules.
  • 次の週から新しい授業が始まります。 means “The new class begins next week.”
  • 週末 means weekend and is read しゅうまつ. It refers to the weekend, the closing part of a week.
  • 忙しい一週間を終え、静かな週末を過ごした。 means “After a busy week, I spent a quiet weekend.”