Chinese word

正

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhèng

Meaning

  • adverbright now

Example

我正在吃饭。wǒ zhèng zài chī fàn

I am eating right now.

Illustration for 正 (right now)

More examples

你来得正好。nǐ lái de zhèng hǎo

You came at just the right time.

Core concept

An action is placed exactly on the present moment, like a mark landing on a time line.

Common phrases

  • 正在zhèng zài

    right now

  • 正好zhèng hǎo

    just right

Similar words

正在zhèng zài: Highlights that an action is actively continuing at the present time.
在zài: Comes before a verb to mark an action or state as happening now.
现在xiàn zài: Means the current time or the time of speaking.
刚gāng: Marks something that finished only a short time ago.

Definition in Chinese

用作副词，表示某一动作正处于进行中，侧重强调该动作正发生于说话时刻。yòng zuò fù cí biǎo shì mǒu yí dòng zuò zhèng chǔ yú jìn xíng zhōng cè zhòng qiáng diào gāi dòng zuò zhèng fā shēng yú shuō huà shí kè

Word origin

正 (zhèng, "straight; correct") extends its sense of proper position to precise timing, so it can identify the moment when an event is underway.

Usage tips

  • English often uses the present progressive for this timing, while Chinese can put the timing signal before the verb.

Other meanings

  • exactlyadverb
  • justadverb

Word lists with this word