现 xiàn — appear; present; now; existing; current
现在是下午三点。Xiàn zài shì xià wǔ sān diǎn.It is now three in the afternoon.
Common words: 现在 (xiàn zài)、发现 (fā xiàn)、出现 (chū xiàn)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "appear"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "appear", including 现 (xiàn), 见 (jiàn / xiàn). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "appear" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 现 (xiàn), 见 (jiàn / xiàn) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span xiàn, jiàn — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 现 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 现 xiànappear; present; now; existing; currentUseful words: 现在, 发现
- 见 jiàn / xiànto see; to meet; to appear (to be sth); to interview; appearUseful words: 看见, 见面
Common words for these 2 "appear" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 现 (xiàn) — so "appear" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 2 ways to say "appear".
见 jiàn / xiàn — to see; to meet; to appear (to be sth); to interview; appear
很高兴见到你。Hěn gāo xìng jiàn dào nǐ.Nice to see you.
Common words: 看见 (kàn jiàn)、见面 (jiàn miàn)、再见 (zài jiàn)
All 2 characters
Open 现、见 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.