眼下 (yǎn xià) — now, at present (formal time noun) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

眼下 is a formal time noun for 'the current situation' — written/formal, closer to 目前 than the everyday 现在. Refers to a moment defined by its circumstances, not a precise instant like 眼前.

noun

nowat present (formal time noun)

Examples

眼下。
yǎn xià Xíng shì duì wǒ men hěn yǒu lì.
The current situation is very favorable to us.
眼下。
yǎn xià Zuì zhòng yào de shì xiān wěn dìng xià lái.
The most important thing now is to stabilize first.
眼下。
yǎn xià Hái kàn bù chū jié guǒ rú hé.
For now, we can't see what the outcome will be.

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.

The 下 of 眼 suggests the present moment, as if right before one's eyes.

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.

目艮眼

Meaning part形符xíngfú

目目mùeye

Sound part声符shēngfú

艮

艮gèn眼yǎn

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

眼 combines 目, which is an eye, with 艮, which gives the character's sound.

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

下 is drawn as a short horizontal line below a long curved line.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Time (Abstract)

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.