現 meaning and stroke order
To appear, to manifest; current, now
How to write 現, stroke by stroke
11 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
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- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
Meaning of 現
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to appear
- present
- now
- existing
- current
How 現 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To see 見 jade 王; 見 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 王 (king), shared by 104 characters on this site.
How to remember 現
On the left is 王, which here stands for jade, and on the right is 見 (jiàn, to see). When polished jade catches the light, its beauty appears and you can see it, so 現 means to appear, and what appears before you is the present.
現 rarely stands alone in speech. It mostly builds words about appearing or the present moment, like 現在 (xiànzài, now), 出現 (chūxiàn, to appear) and 發現 (fāxiàn, to discover). Example: 我現在很忙。(Wǒ xiànzài hěn máng.) I am busy now.
Common mistake: Learners often write the right side as 貝 instead of 見, but 見 has two legs at the bottom, not two dots. Also, 見 alone is read jiàn, while 現 is read xiàn, so do not carry the j sound over.
Common words with 現
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 現在 | xiànzài | now; at present; currently | HSK 1 |
| 發現 | fāxiàn | to notice; to become aware of; to discover; to find; to detect | HSK 2 |
| 出現 | chūxiàn | to appear; to arise; to emerge; to show up | HSK 2 |
| 實現 | shíxiàn | to achieve; to implement; to realize; to bring about | HSK 2 |
| 表現 | biǎoxiàn | to show; to show off | HSK 3 |
| 現場 | xiànchǎng | the scene (of a crime, accident etc); (on) the spot | HSK 3 |
| 現實 | xiànshí | reality; actuality; real; actual | HSK 3 |
| 現金 | xiànjīn | cash | HSK 3 |
| 現代 | xiàndài | modern times; modern age | HSK 3 |
| 現象 | xiànxiàng | phenomenon; appearance | HSK 3 |
| 體現 | tǐxiàn | to embody; to reflect | HSK 3 |
| 現代化 | xiàndàihuà | modernization | HSK 3 |
| 展現 | zhǎnxiàn | to unfold before one's eyes; to emerge; to reveal; to display | HSK 5 |
| 現有 | xiànyǒu | currently existing; currently available | HSK 5 |
Questions about 現
How many strokes are in 現?
現 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 現 mean?
現 (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 現?
現 is pronounced xiàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 現?
The radical of 現 is 王, which carries the idea of "king". Dictionaries list 現 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 現?
現 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 现, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Why does 現 look different in some textbooks, like 现?
现 is the simplified form used in mainland China, where 見 becomes 见. Common words such as 现在 and 发现 are written with this simplified form, and they mean the same as 現在 and 發現.
What is the difference between 發現 (fāxiàn) and 出現 (chūxiàn)?
發現 means a person notices or discovers something, so it takes a subject who finds: 我發現了問題 (I found a problem). 出現 means something shows up or appears by itself: 問題出現了 (A problem appeared).