今: the kanji for now
今 is a JLPT N5 kanji that means now. Below are its readings, 14 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
今 is written in 4 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
今 has 3 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 11 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
コン (kon)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 今度こんど · kondo | next time; this time |
| 今回こんかい · konkai | this time |
| 今月こんげつ · kongetsu | this month |
| 今週こんしゅう · konshū | this week |
| 今後こんご · kongo | from now on |
| 今晩こんばん · konban | this evening; tonight |
| 今夜こんや · kon'ya | tonight |
いま (ima)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 今いま · ima | now |
| 今にもいまにも · imanimo | at any moment |
| 今までいままで · imamade | until now |
| 今ごろいまごろ · imagoro | about this time |
Special readings to learn as whole words
These words use 今, but their readings do not follow the readings above. The Jōyō Kanji Table lists them as special readings. Learn each one as a whole word.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 今日きょう · kyō | today |
| 今朝けさ · kesa | this morning |
| 今年ことし · kotoshi | this year |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 今、お時間よろしいですか。Ima, ojikan yoroshii desu ka.Do you have a moment now?
- 今週の金曜日に会議があります。Konshū no kin'yōbi ni kaigi ga arimasu.There's a meeting this Friday.
- 今後ともよろしくお願いします。Kongo tomo yoroshiku onegai shimasu.I look forward to continuing to work with you.
- 今度、一緒に飲みに行きましょう。Kondo, issho ni nomi ni ikimashō.Let's go for a drink together sometime.
- 今朝、メールを送りました。Kesa, mēru o okurimashita.I sent the email this morning.
- 今年、日本に来ました。Kotoshi, Nihon ni kimashita.I came to Japan this year.
Questions about 今
How many strokes does 今 have?
今 is written in 4 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 今?
The on readings are kon (コン), kin (キン). The kun readings are ima (いま).
What does 今後ともよろしくお願いします mean?
It is a common business phrase that means "I look forward to continuing to work with you." 今後 (kongo) means "from now on."
What JLPT level is 今?
N5. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N5 is designed to match the former Level 4.
More JLPT N5 kanji
Days and time
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 今
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.