The word 星期 (xīngqī), meaning "week", is formed through a conceptual combination rooted in astronomy and timekeeping. It literally translates to "star period", where 星 (xīng) means "star" or "celestial body", and 期 (qī) means "period" or "cycle". This construction originates from the ancient Chinese practice of using the seven visible celestial bodies (the Sun, Moon, and five classical planets) to designate a seven-day cycle. This native system was later aligned with the internationally adopted seven-day week, with each day named after these celestial bodies (e.g., 星期日 for Sunday, the "star day"). Thus, the term encapsulates the idea of a cyclical period measured by the stars.