Now and the present with 今
今 primarily means “present”, “this moment”, and “right now”.
Etymology
This kanji originated from the 鈴. It was later borrowed for the meaning “now”.
Now and the Present 今後 (From now on)
今後(こんご) means from now on or in the future.
It combines 今 (now ) with 後 (after ) to show what comes after now .
Grammar Explanation: Giving advice with 〜た＋方がいい (Future entry)
ご注文はうさぎですか？ » Volume 1 » Page 100Cocoa did fortune telling for her friends, only for all their fortunes to happen to her in a bad way.
チノ: 「ココアさんは人(ひと) の不幸(ふこう) の身代(みが) わりになる才能(さいのう) があるんですか？」“Cocoa, do you have a talent for taking on other people's misfortune?” リゼ: 「今後(こんご) 占(うらな) いやめた方(ほう) がいいぞ自分(じぶん) のために」“For your own sake, you had better stop fortune telling from now on.” ココア: 「なんで!?」“Why!?” Challenge Yourself Show translation
Challenge
What does リゼ mean in the highlighted line? Clues 占(うらな) いやめた方(ほう) がいい(占:うらな)いやめた(方:ほう)がいい advises Cocoa to stop What does the speaker mean? For your own sake, you had better stop fortune telling from now on. Rize recommends giving up fortune telling after its predictions have caused Cocoa trouble. Rize advises Cocoa to keep telling fortunes from now on. The highlighted form is 占(うらな) いやめた方(ほう) がいい. Here 占(うらな) いやめた方(ほう) がいい advises Cocoa to stop, so this choice does not match the Japanese. Rize says Cocoa has already stopped fortune-telling. The highlighted form is 占(うらな) いやめた方(ほう) がいい. Here 占(うらな) いやめた方(ほう) がいい advises Cocoa to stop, so this choice does not match the Japanese. Rize tells Chino to give up fortune-telling for Cocoa's sake. The highlighted form is 占(うらな) いやめた方(ほう) がいい. Here 占(うらな) いやめた方(ほう) がいい advises Cocoa to stop, so this choice does not match the Japanese.
占(うらな) いやめた方(ほう) がいい advises Cocoa to stop. Rize recommends giving up fortune telling after its predictions have caused Cocoa trouble.
View Full Example 今朝 (This morning)
今朝(けさ) means this morning.
It combines 今 (now ) with 朝 (morning ) to show this morning .
Vocabulary Explanation: イヤリング vs ピアス (Future entry)
好きな子がめがねを忘れた » Volume 5 » Page 56Komura sees Mie pick up an item she dropped and he wonders if it’s an earring. During class later, Mie shows Komura the item held up to her ear calling it a 「ピアス」. She then reveals it’s just a bead.
三重(みえ) :「私(わたし) ピアス開(あ) けてないし」“Since I don't have my ears pierced.” 小村(こむら) :「あっ… …今朝(けさ) 落(お) としてたのもビーズ？」“Ah, the item you dropped this morning was a bead?” 三重(みえ) :「うん」“Mmhm.” Challenge Yourself Show translation
Challenge
What does Mie reveal about the item Komura thought was an earring? Clues 私(わたし) ピアス開(あ) けてないしI do not have my ears pierced 今朝(けさ) 落(お) としてたのもビーズ？ うんthe item dropped this morning was also a bead, yes What does the speaker mean? It was a bead, and she does not have pierced ears. Mie confirms ビーズ and explains that she has not opened piercing holes. It was a pierced earring that she wears every day. 開(あ) けてない says that she does not have pierced ears. It was an earring that belonged to Komura. Mie identifies the dropped object as her bead, not Komura's jewelry. It was a bead she planned to use for a piercing that morning. She uses the bead to imitate an earring, but confirms that she has no piercing. It was an earplug she lost during class. The item is explicitly identified as ビーズ, a bead. It was a clip-on earring rather than a pierced one. Komura's assumption is overturned when Mie reveals that the object is only a bead.
Mie confirms that the object was a bead, not an earring. She had only held it by her ear and explains that she does not have pierced ears.
View Full Example 今日 (Today)
今日(きょう) means today. In formal writing, it can also mean the present day or current era.
It combines 今 (now ) with 日 (day ) to show the present day .
Kanji Explanation: Shelter and shops with 屋 (Future entry)
俺物語!! » Volume 4 » Page 165After Takeo (Gouda) has helped her out multiple times, Saijou considers confessing her feelings to him. She waits for him near the shoe lockers before class.
西城(さいじょう) :「あのっ 今日(きょう) 剛田(ごうだ) に話(はなし) があるんだ」“Um... I need to talk to you today.”「放課後(ほうかご) ニワトリ小屋(ごや) の前(まえ) に来(き) てくれるかな」“Could you come to the chicken coop after school?” Challenge Yourself Show translation
Challenge
What does Saijou ask Takeo to do? Clues 今日(きょう) 剛田(ごうだ) に話(はなし) があるんだshe has something to discuss with Takeo today 放課後(ほうかご) ニワトリ小屋(ごや) の前(まえ) に来(き) てくれるかなshe wonders whether he will come to the chicken coop after school What does the speaker mean? Meet her in front of the chicken coop after school. 放課後(ほうかご) gives the time, ニワトリ小屋(ごや) の前(まえ) gives the place, and 来(き) てくれるかな makes the request. Bring a chicken to her before class. ニワトリ小屋(ごや) is the meeting place. She does not ask Takeo to bring an animal. Meet her at the shoe lockers during lunch. The requested time is after school and the requested place is the chicken coop. Clean the chicken coop for her after school. She asks him to come there for a conversation, not to perform cleaning. Tell her immediately what he wants to discuss. Saijou is the one who has something to say, and she postpones the meeting until after school. Ask Gouda to meet someone else at the coop. Saijou directly asks Takeo to come, with herself as the implied beneficiary of 来(き) てくれる.
Saijou tells Takeo that she has something to discuss and asks him to meet her in front of the chicken coop after school. 来(き) てくれるかな keeps the request hesitant and soft.
View Full Example 今度 (This time)
今度(こんど) means “this time” or “next time”, depending on context.
It combines 今 (now ) with 度 (occurrence ) to show the present or upcoming occasion .
Grammar Explanation: Objective reason with 〜ので (Future entry)
ご注文はうさぎですか？ » Volume 1 » Page 97When Cocoa picks up another student’s dropped handkerchief, she uses the opportunity to show off her devilish nature to Chiya they discussed earlier.
ココア: 「先輩(せんぱい) ハンカチ落(お) としましたよ」“Senpai, you dropped your handkerchief.”「これも何(なに) かの縁(えん) なので今度(こんど) 昼(ひる) 一緒(いっしょ) にどうですか？」“How about we have lunch together next time, since this, too, is a meeting of chance?” Challenge Yourself Show translation
Challenge
Which interpretation best matches the highlighted line? Clues なので (縁:えん)なので turns the encounter into a reason What does the speaker mean? Since meeting like this may be fate, how about having lunch together sometime? Cocoa treats their meeting as 何(なに) かの縁(えん) , a connection brought about by chance, and uses it to support her invitation. Cocoa apologizes for taking the handkerchief and ends the conversation. The highlighted form is なので. Here 縁(えん) なので turns the encounter into a reason, so this choice does not match the Japanese. Cocoa says their next lunch together has already been arranged. The highlighted form is なので. Here 縁(えん) なので turns the encounter into a reason, so this choice does not match the Japanese. Cocoa asks the student to return the handkerchief at lunch next time. The highlighted form is なので. Here 縁(えん) なので turns the encounter into a reason, so this choice does not match the Japanese.
縁(えん) なので turns the encounter into a reason. Cocoa treats their meeting as 何(なに) かの縁(えん) , a connection brought about by chance, and uses it to support her invitation.
View Full Example 今更 (Now, after all this time)
今更(いまさら) means “now, after all this time”, often with the implication that it is already too late.
It combines 今 (now ) with 更 (late ) to show bringing something up only now .
Vocabulary Explanation: After all this time with 今更 (Future entry)
ふらいんぐうぃっち » Volume 6 » Page 105During class, Makoto hears her cat meowing over the school’s intercom. After retrieving her cat, Makoto is confronted by another student. The student, also a witch, verbally reprimands Makoto over the ordeal. A few minutes into their conversation, Makoto asks the girl a question.
真琴(まこと) :「あの～ 今更(いまさら) 名前(なまえ) は…」“Um... It's a bit late for this, but what's your name?” Challenge Yourself Show translation
Challenge
Why does Makoto preface her question with 今更? Clues 今更(いまさら) なんですがacknowledges that the question is late after everything already said お名前(なまえ) は… an unfinished but polite request for the other student's name What does the speaker mean? She realizes she should have asked the student's name earlier. 今更(いまさら) marks the name question as belated after they have already been talking for some time. She has forgotten a name the student already gave her. The scene presents this as Makoto finally asking, not asking the student to repeat an earlier introduction. She thinks it is too late for the student to answer. 今更 acknowledges Makoto's own delayed question. It does not say an answer is no longer possible. She wants to end the conversation without learning the name. お名前(なまえ) は clearly begins a request for the student's name despite the awkward timing. She is asking whether the student changed her name. The unfinished question asks what the name is. Nothing suggests a change of name. She believes names should never be discussed at school. Makoto is embarrassed by asking so late, not by the subject of names itself.
Makoto notices that she has spent several minutes talking with the other student without asking her name. 今更 admits that the question comes awkwardly late, and お名前(なまえ) は leaves the polite request unfinished.
View Full Example Timing and Opportunities 今年 (This year)
今年(ことし) means this year. It refers to the current year as opposed to last year or next year.
It combines 今 (now ) with 年 (year ) to show the present year .
Kanji Explanation: Shelter and shops with 屋 (Future entry)
舞妓さんちのまかないさん » Volume 8 » Page 84At a local festival, Kiyo hurries over to Sumire and Kenta.
キヨ: 「あったあった 今年(ことし) “It's here, it's here, again this year!”「甘(あま) いたこやきの屋台(やたい) ！！」“The sweet takoyaki booth!” Challenge Yourself Show translation
Challenge
What has Kiyo excitedly found at the festival? Clues あったあった 今年(ことし) も she has found something familiar that returned this year 甘(あま) いたこやきの屋台(やたい) she identifies it as the food stall selling sweet takoyaki What does the speaker mean? The sweet takoyaki stall that returns each year. 甘いたこやきの屋台 names the stall, and 今年も shows that Kiyo recognizes it from a previous year. A new shop selling sweet tea for the first time. The food is たこやき, not tea, and 今年も says the stall has appeared before. The platform where the festival performance will begin. 屋台 can contain 台, but at this festival it means a food stall, as shown by 甘いたこやき. A takoyaki stall that has stopped serving sweet food. Kiyo identifies it directly as the sweet takoyaki stall. Nothing says its menu has changed. The booth where Sumire and Kenta are waiting to work. Kiyo hurries toward her friends after spotting the stall, but she does not say they work there. A stall Kiyo was unable to find in earlier years. 今年も means it is here again this year, so she treats it as a returning favorite.
Kiyo spots the sweet takoyaki food stall and celebrates that it has returned this year. Her repeated あった conveys the excitement of finding a familiar festival favorite.
View Full Example 
