现 meaning and stroke order
To appear, to manifest; current, now
How to write 现, stroke by stroke
8 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 现
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to appear
- present
- now
- existing
- current
How 现 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To see 见 jade 王; 见 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 王 (king), shared by 104 characters on this site.
How to remember 现
On the left is 王, which as a component stands for jade, and on the right is 见 (jiàn), to see. Picture a piece of jade catching the light so you can suddenly see it: something appears right now, and 见 also hints at the sound xiàn.
现 rarely stands alone in everyday speech. It mostly appears in words, either meaning "to appear" as in 出现 (chūxiàn) and 发现 (fāxiàn), or meaning "current, present" as in 现在 (xiànzài) and 现金 (xiànjīn). Example: 我现在很忙。(Wǒ xiànzài hěn máng.) I am busy now.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 现 (xiàn) with 见 (jiàn) because 见 is part of it. 见 alone means to see or meet, while 现 means to appear, so write 发现 (fāxiàn, to discover), not 发见.
Common words with 现
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 现在 | xiànzài | now; at present; currently | HSK 1 |
| 发现 | fāxiàn | to notice; to become aware of; to discover; to find; to detect | HSK 2 |
| 出现 | chūxiàn | to appear; to arise; to emerge; to show up | HSK 2 |
| 实现 | shíxiàn | to achieve; to implement; to realize; to bring about | HSK 2 |
| 表现 | biǎoxiàn | to show; to show off | HSK 3 |
| 现场 | xiànchǎng | the scene (of a crime, accident etc); (on) the spot | HSK 3 |
| 现实 | xiànshí | reality; actuality; real; actual | HSK 3 |
| 现金 | xiànjīn | cash | HSK 3 |
| 现代 | xiàndài | modern times; modern age | HSK 3 |
| 现象 | xiànxiàng | phenomenon; appearance | HSK 3 |
| 体现 | tǐxiàn | to embody; to reflect | HSK 3 |
| 现代化 | xiàndàihuà | modernization | HSK 3 |
| 展现 | zhǎnxiàn | to unfold before one's eyes; to emerge; to reveal; to display | HSK 5 |
| 现有 | xiànyǒu | currently existing; currently available | HSK 5 |
现 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 现
How many strokes are in 现?
现 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 现 mean?
现 (xiàn) means to appear, to manifest; current, now. A common word with it is 现在 (xiànzài), meaning "now; at present; currently".
How do you pronounce 现?
现 is pronounced xiàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 现?
The radical of 现 is 王, which carries the idea of "king". Dictionaries list 现 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 现?
The traditional form of 现 is 現. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 现 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 现 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 现 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
What is the difference between 现在 and 目前?
Both can mean "now" or "at present". 现在 (xiànzài) is the everyday word for right now, while 目前 (mùqián) sounds more formal and refers to the current period or situation.
How is 发现 different from 出现?
发现 (fāxiàn) means someone discovers or notices something, so it needs a person doing it: 我发现了一个问题. 出现 (chūxiàn) means something appears or shows up by itself: 问题出现了.