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 "now"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "now", including 现 (xiàn), 今 (jīn). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words, and examples.
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "now" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 现 (xiàn), 今 (jīn) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span xiàn, jīn — 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
- 今 jīntoday; modern; present; current; this; nowUseful words: 今天, 今年
Common words for these 2 "now" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 现 (xiàn) — so "now" 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 "now".
今 jīn — today; modern; present; current; this; now
今天是个特别的日子。Jīn tiān shì ge tè bié de rì zi.Today is a special day.
Common words: 今天 (jīn tiān)、今年 (jīn nián)、今后 (jīn hòu)
All 2 characters
Open 现、今 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.