现存 (xiàn cún) — extant, still in existence | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

现存 emphasizes that something still survives today from an earlier time — used for relics, species, or records. 现有 means 'currently available' (often resources or conditions), while 存在 is the neutral 'to exist'.

verb

extantstill in existence

Easily confused

Examples

现存。
Zhè zuò gǔ chéng shì xiàn cún zuì wán zhěng de míng dài yí zhǐ.
This ancient city is the most complete extant Ming dynasty site.
现存。
Shì jiè shàng xiàn cún de yě shēng lǎo hǔ shù liàng fēi cháng shǎo.
The number of extant wild tigers in the world is very small.
现存。
Zhè xiē shǒu gǎo xiàn cún yú dà yīng tú shū guǎn.
These manuscripts are extant in the British Library.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

现xiànpresent

The 现, or present, and 存, or exist, combine to mean still existing now.

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 現; 现 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

玉玉yùjade

Sound part声符shēngfú

見

見jiàn現

Same sound today

The traditional form 現 pairs 玉 (jade) with 見 as a sound part; the simplified 现 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the historical parts.

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

才

才cái存cún

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

存 pairs 子 with 才, which was used for the sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 6 Time (Abstract)

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