现任 (xiàn rèn) — (verb) to currently hold a position; (adjective… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

现任 highlights that a person currently holds a post (e.g. 现任总统, incumbent president). Distinguish from 任 alone, which is 'to appoint' or 'to serve as', and from 现行 'currently in effect' (used for rules/policies, not people).

verb

to currently hold a position

adjective

currentincumbent(colloquial) current (romantic partner)

Examples

现任。。
Tā xiàn rèn gōng sī de cái wù zǒng jiān. gōng sī de cái wù zǒng jiān.
He currently holds the position of financial director of the company.
现任。
xiàn rèn Zǒng tǒng jiāng yú míng nián xiè rèn.
The incumbent president will step down next year.
现任。
Tā de xiàn rèn nán yǒu shì gè wài guó rén.
Her current boyfriend is a foreigner.

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 (current) and 任 (office) combine for someone now holding a post.

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.

亻壬任

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rénperson

Sound part声符shēngfú

壬

壬rén任rèn

Same sound today

任 pairs 亻, a person, with 壬, which may picture a shoulder pole turned sideways.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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