Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
昨天 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
昨天zuótiānyesterdayHSK 1, t, rank #704, Easy
zuótiān(zuo2tian1) T2
  1. 1yesterday
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
昨天zuótiān(zuo2tian1)

昨天 (zuótiān) means 'yesterday' in Mandarin, referring specifically to the day before today. It is commonly used in conversation and writing to discuss events that occurred one day prior, making it a fundamental temporal expression for learners.

Frequency#704DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, discussing yesterday’s events can often include reflections on family or work, highlighting the importance of continuity in relationships and responsibilities. It may also relate to the concept of 'yesterday' in traditional sayings or proverbs that reflect on time.

Memory Tip

Imagine a sun setting behind a mountain, representing the day that has just passed. The '昨' (zuó) part resembles a sunset, while '天' (tiān) symbolizes the sky or day, helping you remember that 昨天 refers to the day that has already gone by.

Meanings of 昨天

zuótiān(zuo2tian1)
1yesterday
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 昨天

昨天Simplified
—Strokes
—Radical
时间词time word (t.)Part of Speech
#704Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L1HSK 3.0L1ElementaryTOCFLL1HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 昨天

JasonAmy

Podcast: 昨天

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 昨天

Quick Contrast

明天 (míngtiān) - use 昨天 for the day before today, not明天 which means 'tomorrow'.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a sun setting behind a mountain, representing the day that has just passed. The '昨' (zuó) part resembles a sunset, while '天' (tiān) symbolizes the sky or day, helping you remember that 昨天 refers to the day that has already gone by.

Usage Notes

Be careful with pronunciation; both syllables have specific tones that must be observed: 'zuó' with a rising tone and 'tiān' with a high-level tone. It's often used in phrases like '昨天晚上' (zuótiān wǎnshàng - last night) or '昨天的事情' (zuótiān de shìqíng - yesterday's events).

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 1 word, 昨天 is foundational for understanding timelines in Mandarin. Students should focus on its usage in sentences and practice with other time-related vocabulary, such as 今天 (jīntiān - today) and 明天 (míngtiān - tomorrow).

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, discussing yesterday’s events can often include reflections on family or work, highlighting the importance of continuity in relationships and responsibilities. It may also relate to the concept of 'yesterday' in traditional sayings or proverbs that reflect on time.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 昨天 with 现在 (xiànzài - now) or 明天 (míngtiān - tomorrow). For instance, saying '我明天去商店' (Wǒ míngtiān qù shāngdiàn) when they mean 'I went to the store yesterday' is incorrect; the correct phrase is '我昨天去了商店' (Wǒ zuótiān qùle shāngdiàn).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 昨天

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 昨天 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Component Characters

昨zuóyesterday
HSK 19 strokes日
View full entry
天tiānday
HSK 14 strokes大
View full entry

Write 昨天

昨
天

Practice writing 昨天 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 昨天

昨天 carries one core meaning. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

____我睡了八个小时的觉。

I slept eight hours yesterday.

Example Sentences for 昨天 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
昨天南约克郡法院准予他获得保释。

zuó tiān nán yuē kè jùn fǎ yuàn zhǔn yú tā huò dé bǎo shì。

He was yesterday given bail by South Yorkshire magistrates.
2
西班牙媒体昨天仍然在攻击英国媒体。

xī bān yá méi tǐ zuó tiān réng rán zài gōng jī yīng guó méi tǐ。

The Spanish media were still sniping at the British press yesterday.
3
昨天在戈尔韦任命了一位新的天主教主教。

zuó tiān zài gē ěr wéi rèn mìng le yī wèi xīn de tiān zhǔ jiào zhǔ jiào。

A new Catholic bishop was installed in Galway yesterday.
4
在昨天的一次秘密行动中她从监狱获释。

zài zuó tiān de yī cì mì mì háng dòng zhōng tā cóng jiān yù huò shì。

She was released from prison in a cloak and dagger operation yesterday.
5
3日比赛中的越野项目昨天在这里举行。

3 3 rì bǐ sài zhōng de yuè yě xiàng mù zuó tiān zài zhè lǐ jǔ。

The cross-country section of the three-day event was held here yesterday.
6
昨天在华盛顿举行的中东和谈有了取得进展的迹象。

zuó tiān zài huá shèng dùn jǔ háng de zhōng dōng hé tán yǒu le qǔ dé jìn zhǎn de jì xiàng。

Middle East peace talks in Washington showed signs of progress yesterday.
7
调查涉及1,000万英镑的汽车保险诈骗案的警察昨天逮捕了16人。

tiáo chá shè jí1,000 1,000 wàn yīng bàng de qì chē bǎo xiǎn zhà piàn àn de jǐng chá zuó tiān dài bǔ16 le。

Police investigating a £10 million car insurance fiddle arrested 16 people yesterday.
8
昨天晚上，芝加哥至少有两人冻死。

zuó tiān wǎn shàng， ， zhī jiā gē zhì shǎo yǒu liǎng rén dòng。

At least two people died of exposure in Chicago overnight.
9
昨天所有人都放一天假，劳伦斯除外。

zuó tiān suǒ yǒu rén dū fàng yī tiān jiǎ， ， láo lún sī chú。

Yesterday was a day off for everybody, with the exception of Lawrence.
10
挪威的捕鲸人说昨天他们用捕鲸叉捕获了一头雌性小须鲸。

nuó wēi de bǔ jīng rén shuō zuó tiān tā mén yòng bǔ jīng chā bǔ huò le yī tóu cí xìng xiǎo xū jīng。

Norwegian whalers said yesterday they had harpooned a female minke whale.

Cultural Notes for 昨天

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, discussing yesterday’s events can often include reflections on family or work, highlighting the importance of continuity in relationships and responsibilities. It may also relate to the concept of 'yesterday' in traditional sayings or proverbs that reflect on time.

Frequently Asked Questions about 昨天

You can say '我昨天去了商店' (Wǒ zuótiān qùle shāngdiàn), which means 'I went to the store yesterday.'