====== jīntiān: 今天 - Today ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **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.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **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.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **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."
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
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.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
**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 Sentences =====
  * **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.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **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).
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[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.