Key Facts
- Hangul: 평일; Revised Romanization: pyeongil
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 平日 (平 ordinary + 日 day)
- Register: Neutral, standard word.
Weekday in Korean: What Does 평일 Mean?
평일 names the working days, Monday to Friday, as opposed to the weekend or a public holiday. The register is neutral and standard, and you will see it on opening-hours signs and ticket prices. The hanja gives the sense directly: 平 means ordinary and 日 means day, so a 평일 is simply an ordinary day.
How Do You Pronounce 평일?
Two syllables, pyeong and il. The ng of pyeong does not move, so the word is said pyeong-il. Before a particle the final ㄹ links to the vowel that follows, which is why 평일에는 is romanized pyeongireneun.
Example Sentences with 평일
평일에는 회사에 가요.
Pyeongireneun hoesae gayo
I go to the office on weekdays.
에는 adds contrast, so it says "on weekdays, as opposed to the weekend", then 회사에 가요 gives the office routine.
평일에는 일찍 일어나요.
Pyeongireneun iljjik ireonayo
I get up early on weekdays.
일찍 means early and 일어나요 means get up, so this is a weekday morning habit.
평일 저녁은 사람이 많아요.
Pyeongil jeonyeogeun sarami manayo
Weekday evenings are crowded.
사람이 많아요 literally says there are many people, which is how Korean says a place is crowded.
Common Phrases and Collocations
These phrases cover parts of the day and weekday prices.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 평일 오전 | weekday morning |
| 평일 저녁 | weekday evening |
| 평일에는 | on weekdays |
| 평일 할인 | weekday discount |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ 평일 for "every day"
Correct: ✓ 매일 for every day; 평일 for weekdays only
Why: 평일 means Monday to Friday, in contrast with the weekend and holidays. A sign saying 평일 lists the weekday category; check for separate weekend hours before deciding when the shop is closed. 매일 means every day of the week.
평일 Compared with Similar Words
Three words sit close to 평일 on the calendar.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 주말 | weekend | 주말 is Saturday and Sunday, the direct opposite of 평일. |
| 주중 | during the week | 주중 means within the work week and is often used like 평일, especially in phrases about time. |
| 휴일 | holiday/day off | 휴일 is a day off. A public holiday on a Wednesday is a 휴일, not a 평일. |
Checking a Weekday Ticket Discount
At a cinema, a customer asks whether a discount is available. The staff member explains which days qualify.
Customer
평일 할인 있어요?
Pyeongil harin isseoyo?
Do you have a weekday discount?
Staff
네, 평일에는 할인이 있어요.
Ne, pyeongireneun harini isseoyo.
Yes, there’s a discount on weekdays.
Customer
토요일에도 돼요?
Toyoiredo dwaeyo?
Does it apply on Saturday too?
Staff
아니요. 토요일은 주말이에요.
Aniyo. Toyoireun jumarieyo.
No. Saturday is part of the weekend.
평일 할인 is a compact noun phrase: the first noun tells you when the discount applies. 평일에는 makes that time contrast explicit. The customer’s 에도 means “on … too”, so the third line checks whether Saturday is included rather than asking for a new price.
Reading Opening Hours with 평일
평일 is useful on a sign because one label can cover several days. A notice might group hours under 평일, 토요일 and 일요일. In that layout, Saturday has its own line. Read each category before assuming that the weekday closing time applies throughout the week.
A label such as 평일 오전 gives both a day category and a part of the day: weekday mornings. 평일 저녁 shifts the same category to evening. These are literal combinations, with no hidden idiom. You can use them to describe when a gym is crowded or when a class meets.
평일 영업 means weekday business or operation, and 평일 운영 refers to weekday operation of a service or facility. Neither phrase alone supplies an opening time. Look for the hours beside it. 평일 할인 likewise identifies the discount category, but the amount and any exceptions need to be read separately.
Public holidays can change a timetable even when they fall on a Monday through Friday. 공휴일 is the specific word for a public holiday. When a notice has a separate 공휴일 line, use that line for the holiday. A weekday label also tells you nothing about whether a particular person is working: someone employed in a restaurant may have a day off on Tuesday.
Talking about Weekday Routines
평일에는 is especially natural when setting your routine against the weekend. In the existing office example, the speaker describes the weekday pattern; they are not claiming to attend the office on every date in the calendar. A public holiday or a personal day off can interrupt that pattern.
For one particular day, name the day instead. 월요일 means Monday, while 평일 groups ordinary working days together. If a friend asks which day you can meet, answering 평일 says that a weekday works but leaves the choice open. A day name gives a more specific answer.
평일 is neutral enough for a conversation, booking page or business notice. There is no special respectful replacement for the noun. On a sign it often appears without a particle; in a sentence, 평일에 means “on weekdays”, and 평일에는 adds the contrast you hear in the examples.
Calendar Labels to Learn beside 평일
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 공휴일 | public holiday | Check this category when a holiday falls midweek. |
| 영업시간 | business hours | The heading to look for beside day labels. |
| 휴무 | closed / no operation | Often marks a day when a business does not open. |
| 매일 | every day | Includes weekends, unlike 평일. |
Use the days of the week lesson to read individual day names when an opening-hours notice separates them.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 평일 할인 normally include Saturday?
- Which means “every day”: 평일 or 매일?
- A Wednesday is a public holiday and the sign lists separate holiday hours. Which line should you read?
Show answers
- No. Saturday belongs to 주말.
- 매일.
- The 공휴일 line.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say weekday in Korean?
Say 평일 (pyeongil). It means Monday to Friday, the regular working days, as opposed to the weekend and public holidays.
Does 평일 mean every day?
No. 평일 covers weekdays only, so a sign reading 평일 means Monday to Friday. Every day, weekends included, is 매일.
What is the opposite of 평일?
The opposite is 주말, the weekend. Public holidays, called 휴일, are also not 평일 even when they fall between Monday and Friday.
What does 평일 할인 mean?
평일 할인 is a weekday discount, a lower price for Monday to Friday. You will see it at cinemas, theme parks and hotels.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: the days of the week word list sets weekdays beside the weekend.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Compare with the page for holiday.
- Next in the list: the page for weekend.
- Practice: add this word to the vocabulary flashcard decks.