Meaning
The kanji 今 means now, the present moment, or anything current. It anchors time expressions across all registers of Japanese — casual speech, formal writing, and everything between.
Etymologically, 今 is thought to be a pictograph from ancient Chinese. The original form showed a cover or lid pressing down on something, suggesting time held in the present — suspended between past and future. Over centuries it simplified to just 4 strokes, making it one of the easiest kanji to write.
Japanese children encounter 今 in second grade. It stays central vocabulary at every level after that. Describing what you're doing right now, comparing eras, discussing recent events — 今 turns up in all of it.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi readings are コン and キン. Both come from the original Chinese pronunciation and appear mainly in compound words (熟語, じゅくご) rather than standalone speech.
コン is the more common on'yomi, appearing in everyday time words:
- 今日 (konnichi) — this day, the present day (combining form, as in こんにちは)
- 今週 (konshuu) — this week
- 今月 (kongetsu) — this month
キン is rare. It surfaces in formal or literary writing:
- 今日 (kinjitsu) — the present day, in the near future (written/formal register)
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese reading
The kun'yomi is いま. This is what Japanese speakers reach for in daily conversation when they mean "now." It stands alone as a word or combines with particles to build nuanced time expressions.
- 今 (ima) — now, right now
- 今ごろ (imagoro) — around this time, about now
- 今さら (imasara) — at this late stage (carries a tone of resignation — it's too late to change things)
- 今にも (imanimo) — at any moment, on the verge of happening
Common Words & Compounds
今 pairs naturally with other kanji to build core vocabulary. Here are the most useful groupings.
Time Expressions (Current Period)
- 今日 (kyou) — today
- 今週 (konshuu) — this week
- 今月 (kongetsu) — this month
- 今年 (kotoshi) — this year
- 今夜 (konya) — tonight
- 今朝 (kesa) — this morning
Present vs. Past/Future
- 今後 (kongo) — from now on, going forward
- 今まで (ima made) — up until now
- 今度 (kondo) — next time, this time
- 今更 (imasara) — now of all times, too late to change
Contemporary & Modern
- 今時 (imadoki) — nowadays, these days
- 今風 (imafuu) — contemporary style
- 古今 (kokon) — all ages, ancient and modern alike
Example Sentences
今、何時ですか？
Ima, nanji desu ka?
What time is it now?
今から行きます。
Ima kara ikimasu.
I'm heading out now.
今日は天気がいいですね。
Kyou wa tenki ga ii desu ne.
The weather is nice today, isn't it?
今夜、一緒に映画を見ませんか？
Konya, issho ni eiga wo mimasen ka?
Want to watch a movie together tonight?
今、電車に乗っています。
Ima, densha ni notte imasu.
I'm on the train right now.
今朝は早く起きました。
Kesa wa hayaku okimashita.
I woke up early this morning.
今後は気をつけます。
Kongo wa ki wo tsukemasu.
I'll be more careful from now on.
今度の週末、暇ですか？
Kondo no shuumatsu, hima desu ka?
Are you free this weekend?
今までこんなに美味しいものを食べたことがありません。
Ima made konna ni oishii mono wo tabeta koto ga arimasen.
I've never eaten anything this delicious in my life.
今年の目標は日本語をもっと勉強することです。
Kotoshi no mokuhyou wa nihongo wo motto benkyou suru koto desu.
My goal this year is to study more Japanese.
Related Kanji
- 分 — Minute, Part, Divide, Understand (Kanji N5)
- 半 — Half (Kanji N5)
- 時 — Time, Hour (Kanji N5)
- 新 — New, Fresh, Novel (Kanji N5)
- 前 — Before, In Front (Kanji N5)
- 金 — Gold, Money, Metal (Kanji N5)
Memory Tip
Picture 今 as a person (人, the top strokes) crouching under a lid. They're not going anywhere — they're here, right now. That lid locks time in the present. Write the 4 strokes slowly and imagine someone sheltered in this single moment.
For Vietnamese learners: the Sino-Vietnamese reading is KIM (今). Think of hiện kim (現今 — the present time). The compound uses 今 directly, so the KIM sound maps straight to this character. Note that KIM (金, gold) is a different character — same sound, different meaning.