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The Mandarin Chinese word for “now” is xiànzài, pronounced with two fourth tones (falling tones). Since time modifiers are important for establishing Mandarin tense, xiànzài is commonly heard in everyday conversation.
There are two characters in xiànzài: ??. The first character, xiàn, means “now” or “current” and the character, zài, means “located at.”
Xiànzài can be literally translated as “in the present.”
Examples of Xianzai
Xiànzài shì jidian zhong?
???????
???????
What time is it?
Women xiànzài chi fàn, hao bù hao?
??????, ????
??????, ????
We will eat now, OK?
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