现时 (xiàn shí) — the present time; now | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A formal, written-Chinese word for 'the present time, now.' More literary than 现在 or 目前, common in reports, news, and official contexts.

noun

the present timenow

Examples

现时。
xiàn shí De qíng kuàng hé yǐ qián bù yí yàng le.
The present situation is different from before.
现时。
xiàn shí Wǒ men zhèng zài tǎo lùn zhè ge wèn tí.
We are discussing this issue at present.
现时。
xiàn shí De nián qīng rén xǐ huan yòng shǒu jī zhī fù.
Young people nowadays like to use mobile payment.

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xiàncurrent

现 means current and 时 means time, together referring to the present moment.

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.

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.

Appears in

Time (Abstract)

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