Chinese word

正在

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhèng zài

Meaning

  • adverbbe ___ing

Example

他正在吃饭。tā zhèng zài chī fàn

He is eating.

Illustration for 正在 (be ___ing)

More examples

他正在看电视。tā zhèng zài kàn diàn shì

He is watching TV.

Core concept

A signal before a verb that highlights an action as unfolding at this moment.

Common phrases

  • 正在吃饭zhèng zài chī fàn

    be eating

  • 正在学习zhèng zài xué xí

    be studying

  • 正在看书zhèng zài kàn shū

    be reading

Similar words

在zài: Shows that an action is happening at the time being described, before the verb.
现在xiàn zài: Means at the present time and points to what is happening now.

Definition in Chinese

表示动作或状态此刻正在进行，通常置于动词前以强调正在发生的过程。biǎo shì dòng zuò huò zhuàng tài cǐ kè zhèng zài jìn xíng tōng cháng zhì yú dòng cí qián yǐ qiáng diào zhèng zài fā shēng de guò chéng

Word origin

正在 (zhèngzài, "be ...ing") is built from 正 (zhèng, "just at") and 在 (zài, "be in"), joining the ideas of a precise moment and an action in progress.

Usage tips

  • English can show an ongoing action through the verb ending, but Chinese leaves the verb unchanged and adds this marker before it.

Other meanings

  • currentlyadverb
  • nowadverb

Word lists with this word