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今生 (jīn shēng) — this life

Definition

今生 (jīnshēng) means 'this life' — the current existence, often contrasted with a past or future one (e.g. 前世 'previous life', 来世 'next life'). Common in reflective or literary phrases like 今生今世 ('this very life').

noun
this life

Examples

  • 今生，。
    jīn shēng Néng hé nǐ xiāng yù, wǒ hěn xìng fú.
    I am very happy to meet you in this life.
  • 今生。
    Tā xī wàng jīn shēng néng qù yí cì xī zàng.
    He hopes to go to Tibet once in this life.
  • 今生。
    Zhè ge yuàn wàng wǒ jīn shēng yí dìng yào shí xiàn.
    I must fulfill this wish in this life.

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.

今jīnthis
生shēnglife

'今' gives this or present and '生' gives life, together meaning this life.

Characters in this word

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 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Open 生 →
Appears in
Time (Abstract)

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