‘三月’ literally means ‘three month’ and is the standard Chinese name for the month of March. It follows the Chinese convention of naming months numerically: 一月 (January), 二月 (February), 三月 (March), and so on. The character 三 (sān) means ‘three’, and 月 (yuè) means ‘month’—together they form a compound noun indicating the third month of the Gregorian calendar year.

This term is used in both formal and informal contexts—on calendars, in news reports, in conversation, and in written documents. Unlike some other languages, Chinese does not use Latin-derived names like ‘March’; all months are numbered. Note that 月 can also mean ‘moon’, but in this compound it exclusively means ‘month’. ‘三月’ is neutral in register and appears frequently in date expressions, seasonal descriptions, and event planning.