49
今
Now, Present
いま (ima)
JLPT N5
Interesting Fact
One of Japan's most famous expressions is 一期一会 (ichigo ichie), often translated as 'One time, One meeting.' The idea is that every encounter happens only once in exactly that form, so it should be appreciated while it's happening. The phrase originated from the Japanese tea ceremony and serves as a reminder to cherish the present moment, because the same meeting can never be perfectly recreated.
Memory Trick
Imagine a person sitting on a bench beneath a temple roof, quietly practicing "The Art of being present." That's 今, the kanji for now.
Readings
Onyomi: コン (kon), キン (kin)
Kunyomi: いま (ima)
Example Words
今
いま (ima)
Now
今日
きょう (kyou)
Today
今月
こんげつ (kongetsu)
This month
今年
ことし (kotoshi)
This year
Example Sentence
今、勉強しています。
いま、べんきょう しています。
ima, benkyou shiteimasu
I am studying now.