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今日 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
今日jīnrìtodayHSK 5, unknown, 8 strokes, rank #5390, Hard
jīnrì(jin1ri4)jin ri T1
  1. 1today
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March 24, 2026

今日jīnrì(jin1ri4)

今日 (jīnrì) means 'today' in Mandarin. It is commonly used to refer to the current day, often in contrast to 'yesterday' (昨天, zuótiān) and 'tomorrow' (明天, míngtiān). This term is frequently used in both spoken and written contexts, making it essential for everyday conversations and scheduling.

Strokes8Frequency#5390DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, today can hold significant meaning in various contexts, such as festivals or important events. For example, many Chinese people consider the start of the lunar new year to be a fresh start, making 'today' particularly meaningful on that day.

Memory Tip

Think of 今日 as 'Jin' (like 'genie') and 'Ri' (like 're')—imagine a genie granting you wishes today! The character '今' (jin) looks like a person standing under a roof, symbolizing the present, while '日' (ri) means 'sun,' indicating the day.

Meanings of 今日

jīnrì(jin1ri4)
1today
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About 今日

今日Simplified
8Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2

Podcast: 今日

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Podcast: 今日

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AI Study Notes for 今日

Quick Contrast

今天 (jīntiān) vs 今日 (jīnrì) — use 今日 (jīnrì) for a more formal or literary context, while 今天 (jīntiān) is more common in everyday conversation.

Usage Notes

Ensure you use 今日 in contexts that emphasize the immediacy of the current day. A common mistake is to confuse it with '今天' (jīntiān), which is also 'today' but is more colloquial. Avoid using it in overly formal settings where native speakers might prefer '今天'.

HSK Study Tips

While 今日 is not included in HSK lists, it connects with other time-related words like 昨天 (zuótiān) and 明天 (míngtiān) that students will learn in HSK Level 1. Focus on using these terms in sentences to practice the concept of time.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 今日 with 今天 (jīntiān) and use them interchangeably. For example, saying '我今日去商店' (Wǒ jīnrì qù shāngdiàn) is correct, but it sounds formal; '我今天去商店' is more natural in conversation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 今日

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Component Characters

今jīntoday
HSK 14 strokes人
View full entry
日rìsun
HSK 14 strokes日
View full entry

How to say today in Chinese

“today” in Chinese is今日jīnrì

今日 (jīnrì) means 'today' in Mandarin. It is commonly used to refer to the current day, often in contrast to 'yesterday' (昨天, zuótiān) and 'tomorrow' (明天, míngtiān). This term is frequently used in both spoken and written contexts, making it essential for everyday conversations and scheduling.

When to use 今日

Ensure you use 今日 in contexts that emphasize the immediacy of the current day. A common mistake is to confuse it with '今天' (jīntiān), which is also 'today' but is more colloquial. Avoid using it in overly formal settings where native speakers might prefer '今天'.

今日 or something close to it

今天 (jīntiān) vs 今日 (jīnrì) — use 今日 (jīnrì) for a more formal or literary context, while 今天 (jīntiān) is more common in everyday conversation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 今日 with 今天 (jīntiān) and use them interchangeably. For example, saying '我今日去商店' (Wǒ jīnrì qù shāngdiàn) is correct, but it sounds formal; '我今天去商店' is more natural in conversation.

Write 今日

今
日

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Frequently Asked Questions about 今日

No, while it can be used in formal writing, it is also understood in everyday conversation, although '今天' is more common in casual contexts.

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