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时至今日 (shí zhì jīn rì) — up to the present day; even now (often implying a contrast with the past)

Definition

Formal/literary idiom meaning 'up to today, even now', typically highlighting a contrast between past expectations and present reality. Acts as a set phrase — use it as a whole, not word by word.

idiom
up to the present dayeven now (often implying a contrast with the past)

Examples

  • 时至今日，。
    shí zhì jīn rì, Zhè ge wèn tí réng rán méi yǒu dé dào jiě jué.
    To this day, this problem still hasn't been solved.
  • 时至今日，。
    shí zhì jīn rì, Wǒ réng rán jì de dāng nián lǎo shī de jiào huì.
    Even now, I still remember my teacher's teachings from back then.
  • ，时至今日，。
    Suī rán kē jì yǐ jīng fēi cháng fā dá, dàn shí zhì jīn rì, rén lèi réng rán wú fǎ wán quán jiě shì zhè ge xiàn xiàng.
    Although technology is already very advanced, up to now, humanity still cannot fully explain this phenomenon.

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 時; 时 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
日日rìsun; day
Sound part声符shēngfú
之
之zhī時shí
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 時 pairs 日 (sun/day) with 之 as the part that gives the sound; the simplified 时 is not the form described.

Open 时 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

至 is drawn as an arrow stuck into the ground.

Open 至 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

One explanation sees the shape as an upside-down mouth with a line below it, giving the idea of not speaking.

Open 今 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

日 originally drew the sun. A mark was added inside to tell it apart from similar square shapes.

Open 日 →
Appears in
Time (Abstract)

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