ChiramiN5 kanji · 4 strokes
今 means now
今
人 looks like a roof · 一 one
今Memory trick
Everyone under one (一) roof, right now: now.
Memory trick: a picture to help you remember the kanji, not its history.
Meaning and readings
- Meaning
- now
- JLPT level
- N5
- Strokes
- 4
- School grade
- Grade 2 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) いま ima
いま (ima) is the Japanese word for this kanji. You use it when the kanji stands alone or has kana after it. Dictionaries call this the kun reading.
From Chinese (onyomi) コン kon
コン (kon) came from Chinese with the character. You mostly hear it in words made of several kanji. Dictionaries call this the on reading.
Other readings from Chinese: キン kin
Tap a reading to see when it's used. Why kanji have two kinds of reading: onyomi vs kunyomi.
Common word
今日 きょう · kyou
today, this day
Built from
- 𠆢 roof
- 一 one
Tap a part to see the N5 and N4 kanji that use it.
Quick check
What does 今 mean?
Right: 今 means now.Not quite: 今 means now.In 今日 (きょう), what kind of reading does 今 have?
Right. 今日 (きょう, kyou) has a special reading: it belongs to this word, not to 今 on its own, so you learn it with the word.Not quite. 今日 (きょう, kyou) has a special reading: it belongs to this word, not to 今 on its own, so you learn it with the word.