现在
now; at present
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HSK level
- Pinyin
- xiànzài
- Part of speech
- noun
- Level
- HSK 1
- Strokes
- 14
- Register
- neutral
- In episodes
- 4
Stroke order for 现在
现在 is written with 14 strokes (现: 8, 在: 6). The animation replays automatically.
What does 现在 mean?
现在 (xiànzài) is the Chinese word for 'now' or 'at present' — the time word for the current moment, today's situation, or the present era.
Grammatically it's a time noun, so it sits at the beginning of a clause or just after the subject: 现在几点 'what time is it now?' / 我现在很忙 'I'm busy now.' Two contrasts with English: first, Chinese verbs don't conjugate for tense, so 现在 (or another time word) is what tells the listener you're talking about the present — without it, the same sentence can mean past, present, or future depending on context.
Second, 现在 names the present moment ('now'); for the broader idea of 'these days / nowadays' Chinese often uses 现在 too, but 如今 (rújīn) or 目前 (mùqián) sound more written or formal. Literal meaning: 现 'appear / present' + 在 'exist / at.'
Character by character
Memory hook: 现 'present' + 在 'exist' — 'the present that exists' = now.
Hear 现在 in real episodes
现在 appears in 4 Fluentide podcast episodes at natural native speed. Each sentence plays at the easiest difficulty it exists in — switch it to hear the same moment at your level, with full pinyin and English throughout.
他说，以色列现在很好。
He said Israel is doing very well now.
Trump Moves to Cut Israel Military Aid as Republicans Blame Israel for Midterm Defeat
这些数说，美国现在很好。
These numbers said that the United States is doing very well now.
Trump Loses the Midterms: Iran War, Gas Prices and Immigration Cost Republicans Both Chambers
现在，这样说的人少了。
Now, fewer people say this.
King Charles III at Four Years: Cancer, Family Scandal and a 58% Approval Rating — How He Stopped Complaining
现在，他教数学。
Now, he teaches math.
Former NFL Lineman John Urschel, Now an MIT Professor, Solves a 30-Year-Old Math Conjecture on Gaussian Elimination
Example sentences
现在几点？
Xiànzài jǐ diǎn?
What time is it now?
spoken
我现在很忙。
Wǒ xiànzài hěn máng.
I'm busy right now.
neutral
现在我们去吃饭吧。
Xiànzài wǒmen qù chī fàn ba.
Let's go eat now.
spoken
现在的孩子都喜欢手机。
Xiànzài de háizi dōu xǐhuan shǒujī.
Kids these days all like phones.
spoken
Common phrases with 现在
Synonyms
目前 ('at the moment / currently') is more written and formal, common in news and reports. 现在 is the everyday spoken word.
如今 means 'nowadays / these days' — emphasizing change from the past. 现在 is just 'now,' neutral on whether things used to be different.
此刻 ('this moment') is literary and dramatic. 现在 is plain everyday speech.
Don't confuse 现在 with
Frequently asked questions
Related words from the same episodes
Acquire it by listening
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