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当前 (dāng qián) — (noun/adverb) the present time; currently; at present; (verb) to be faced with; to confront (a situation, difficulty, etc.)

Definition

当前 is a more formal/written word for 'the present' than 现在 (everyday 'now'), and is paired with a situation or task rather than used as a bare time point. Its verbal sense means to be faced with (a difficulty), close to 面临 but more stilted in speech.

verb
(noun/adverb) the present timecurrentlyat presentto be faced withto confront (a situation, difficulty, etc.)

Examples

  • 当前。
    dāng qián De jīng jì qíng kuàng hěn fù zá.
    The current economic situation is very complex.
  • 当前，。
    Kùn nan dāng qián, wǒ men yào yǒng gǎn miàn duì.
    With difficulties before us, we must face them bravely.
  • 当前。
    Tā dāng qián zhèng zài zhǔn bèi kǎo shì.
    He is currently preparing for the exam.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

当dāngbe before
前qiánfront

当 means to be before, and 前 means front; together they denote the present situation.

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 當; 当 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
田田tiánfield
Sound part声符shēngfú
尚
尚shàng當dāng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 當 combines 田 (field) with 尚; the evidence describes fields facing each other.

Open 当 →

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

In the older form of 前, 止 (foot) and 舟 (boat) showed a foot on a boat moving forward; in the current 前 those parts are shortened.

Open 前 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 6Time (Abstract)

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