jīntiān: 今天 - Today

• Keywords: jīntiān, jintian, 今天, what does jintian mean, how to say today in Chinese, meaning of 今天, Chinese word for today, today in Mandarin, HSK 1 vocabulary
• Summary: Learn the meaning and usage of 今天 (jīntiān), the essential Chinese word for “today”. This guide breaks down the characters 今 (jīn - now) and 天 (tiān - day), provides numerous example sentences for daily conversation, and explores its cultural significance. Perfect for HSK 1 students and beginners, this entry covers common mistakes, related terms like 昨天 (zuótiān - yesterday) and 明天 (míngtiān - tomorrow), and practical usage in modern China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jīntiān
• Part of Speech: Time Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 1
• Concise Definition: Today; the present day.
• In a Nutshell: 今天 (jīntiān) is the most common and direct way to say “today” in Mandarin Chinese. It's a fundamental time word used in virtually every context, from asking about the weather to making plans with friends. It's one of the first words any learner of Chinese will master.

• 今 (jīn): This character means “now,” “the present,” or “current.” It is composed of a top part (亼) which can be seen as a meeting or coming together, and a lower stroke. The idea is that the present is the point where past and future meet.
• 天 (tiān): This character means “day” or “sky.” Originally, it was a pictogram of a person with a large head, symbolizing the vastness above, or the heavens. In the context of time, it refers to a single 24-hour period.

When combined, 今天 (jīntiān) literally translates to “the now-day” or “the current day,” creating the unambiguous meaning of “today.”

While “today” is a straightforward concept, its construction and usage in Chinese reflect a clear and logical approach to time. The sequence of 昨天 (zuótiān - yesterday), 今天 (jīntiān - today), and 明天 (míngtiān - tomorrow) shows a systematic way of building vocabulary. Culturally, there is a strong emphasis on the present moment, encapsulated in the famous saying 今日事，今日毕 (jīnrì shì, jīnrì bì), which means “Today's tasks should be finished today.” This proverb highlights a cultural value of diligence and not procrastinating. In contrast to English, where “today” can sometimes be replaced with more formal or poetic phrases like “this day” or “the present day,” 今天 (jīntiān) is universally used across all levels of formality. It's as appropriate in a business meeting as it is in a casual text message, demonstrating its functional simplicity. The Chinese language often prioritizes this kind of directness for core concepts.

今天 (jīntiān) is an incredibly versatile word used constantly in daily life. It functions as a time noun that can be placed in several positions within a sentence, most commonly after the subject and before the verb.

• As a Topic/Subject: It can start a sentence to set the time frame for the entire statement.
  • “Today is my birthday.” → 今天是我生日。(Jīntiān shì wǒ de shēngrì.)
• As an Adverbial Phrase: This is the most common usage, placed after the subject to specify when the action occurs.
  • “I am busy today.” → 我今天很忙。(Wǒ jīntiān hěn máng.)
• In Questions: It's used to ask about today's plans, conditions, or events.
  • “What are you doing today?” → 你今天做什么？(Nǐ jīntiān zuò shénme?)
• With Specific Times: It can be combined with parts of the day like “morning” (早上), “noon” (中午), or “evening” (晚上).
  • “I have a meeting this morning.” → 我今天早上有个会。(Wǒ jīntiān zǎoshang yǒu ge huì.)

Its connotation is entirely neutral, and its formality is universal.

• Example 1:
  • 今天天气怎么样？
  • Pinyin: Jīntiān tiānqì zěnmeyàng?
  • English: How is the weather today?
  • Analysis: A classic, simple question that is one of the first learners are taught. 今天 acts as the topic of the sentence.
• Example 2:
  • 我今天感觉有点累。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ jīntiān gǎnjué yǒudiǎn lèi.
  • English: I feel a little tired today.
  • Analysis: Here, 今天 is used as an adverbial phrase, placed after the subject 我 (wǒ) and before the verb phrase 感觉 (gǎnjué). This S + Time + V structure is very common.
• Example 3:
  • 你今天晚上有空吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ jīntiān wǎnshang yǒu kòng ma?
  • English: Are you free tonight?
  • Analysis: This example shows 今天 combining with a more specific time of day, 晚上 (wǎnshang - evening/night), to mean “this evening” or “tonight.”
• Example 4:
  • 今天是星期五，我们去看电影吧！
  • Pinyin: Jīntiān shì xīngqīwǔ, wǒmen qù kàn diànyǐng ba!
  • English: Today is Friday, let's go watch a movie!
  • Analysis: A compound sentence where the first clause establishes the day. This is a very natural way to make a suggestion.
• Example 5:
  • 他今天穿了一件新衬衫。
  • Pinyin: Tā jīntiān chuānle yí jiàn xīn chènshān.
  • English: He wore a new shirt today.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates the use of 今天 to talk about a completed action in the recent past (within the current day) using the particle 了 (le).
• Example 6:
  • 我们公司的年会今天举行。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī de niánhuì jīntiān jǔxíng.
  • English: Our company's annual meeting is being held today.
  • Analysis: A more formal example. The time word 今天 still follows the subject (公司的年会 - company's annual meeting).
• Example 7:
  • 今天的会议非常重要，请不要迟到。
  • Pinyin: Jīntiān de huìyì fēicháng zhòngyào, qǐng búyào chídào.
  • English: Today's meeting is very important, please don't be late.
  • Analysis: Here, the particle 的 (de) is used to make 今天 possessive, modifying the noun 会议 (huìyì - meeting). It means “today's”.
• Example 8:
  • 我今天不想做饭，我们叫外卖吧。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ jīntiān bù xiǎng zuòfàn, wǒmen jiào wàimài ba.
  • English: I don't want to cook today, let's order takeout.
  • Analysis: A perfect example of everyday conversational Chinese, expressing a negative intention (不想 - bù xiǎng).
• Example 9:
  • 从今天起，我要每天锻炼身体。
  • Pinyin: Cóng jīntiān qǐ, wǒ yào měitiān duànliàn shēntǐ.
  • English: Starting from today, I will exercise every day.
  • Analysis: This shows the structure 从…起 (cóng…qǐ), meaning “starting from…”. It's used to announce a new resolution or plan.
• Example 10:
  • 谢谢你今天的帮助。
  • Pinyin: Xièxie nǐ jīntiān de bāngzhù.
  • English: Thank you for your help today.
  • Analysis: Another example of the possessive structure “今天的 + noun,” which is very common for expressing gratitude for something that happened during the day.

• Sentence Position: The most common mistake for English speakers is placing 今天 at the end of the sentence. In Mandarin, time words almost always come before the verb.
  • Incorrect: ~~我去看朋友今天。~~ (Wǒ qù kàn péngyou jīntiān.)
  • Correct: 我今天去看朋友。(Wǒ jīntiān qù kàn péngyou.)
  • Analysis: Remember the standard S + Time + V + O word order. Place 今天 after the subject “我” and before the verb “去”.
• 今天 vs. 今日 (jīnrì): These both mean “today,” but they are not interchangeable. 今天 (jīntiān) is the standard word for all spoken and most written contexts. 今日 (jīnrì) is more formal and literary. You will see it in news headlines, formal documents, or classical poetry, but you will rarely hear it in conversation.
  • Spoken: “你今天忙吗？” (Nǐ jīntiān máng ma?) - “Are you busy today?”
  • Written/Formal: “今日头条” (Jīnrì Tóutiáo) - “Today's Headlines” (the name of a popular news app).

• 昨天 (zuótiān) - Yesterday. The logical counterpart to 今天.
• 明天 (míngtiān) - Tomorrow. The next day in the sequence.
• 前天 (qiántiān) - The day before yesterday.
• 后天 (hòutiān) - The day after tomorrow.
• 今天早上 (jīntiān zǎoshang) - This morning. A more specific time within today.
• 今天晚上 (jīntiān wǎnshang) - Tonight / This evening.
• 现在 (xiànzài) - Now; right now. Refers to the current moment, not the entire day.
• 每日 (měirì) / 每天 (měitiān) - Every day. Describes frequency rather than a specific day. 每天 is more common in speech.
• 当日 (dàngrì) - That same day. A formal term used to refer to a specific day already mentioned in a text.