jīn
noun #1,812

Meanings

  1. 1 now; the present
  2. 2 today; this (year, etc.)

Examples

Jīntiān tiānqì hěn hǎo.
The weather is nice today.
今年2026
Jīnnián shì èr líng èr liù nián.
This year is 2026.
Cóngjīn yǐhòu wǒ yào nǔlì.
From now on I will work hard.

Tips

usage
forms common time words: 今天 (today), 今年 (this year), 今晚 (tonight), 如今 (nowadays), 至今 (up to now). It contrasts with (ancient) in the pair (past and present).

Components

radical
rén
person
The person radical caps the character as an inverted A-shape lid. Indexed under , the top suggests an overhang of presence — the moment one is standing in right now. Pairs with the small hook-mark below to complete the 'now' silhouette.
ideograph
jué
hook stroke; small closing mark
Small two-stroke residue beneath the cap, functioning as a non-decomposable closing mark that finishes the silhouette. Acts as a positional indicator rather than carrying independent meaning. Historically a tongue or pointer element inside the gathering, reduced to this abstract finishing stroke.

Stroke Order

jīn