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Kotomora

現

present, existing, actual

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · grade 5FrequencyTop 100Strokes11

Readings

On'yomi

  • ゲン

Kun'yomi

  • あらわ.れる
  • あらわ.す
  • うつつ
  • うつ.つ

Nanori

  • あきら
  • きら

Meaning

現 centers on something becoming visible or real in the present moment: appearing, existing in actuality, or being manifest now.

Most common words using 現

24 of 486
  • 現在げんざい
    N3

    the present; present time; now

  • 表現ひょうげん
    N3

    expression; representation; description

  • 現実げんじつ
    N3

    reality; actuality; hard fact

  • 現場げんば
    N3

    actual spot; scene (of a crime, accident, etc.)

  • 現代げんだい
    N3

    present age; present day; today

  • 実現じつげん
    N3

    implementation (e.g. of a system); materialization; materialisation; realization; realisation; actualization; actualisation

  • 現れあらわれ
    N3

    embodiment; manifestation; materialization; materialisation; expression; indication

  • 現地げんち
    N2

    actual place; actual location; the spot; the scene; the field; (on) site

  • 現状げんじょう
    N3

    present condition; existing state; status quo; current state

  • 現象げんしょう
    N2

    phenomenon

  • 再現さいげん
    N1

    reappearance; reemergence; return; revival

  • 出現しゅつげん
    N1

    appearance; emergence; advent; arrival; showing up; coming to existence

  • 現金げんきん
    N4

    cash; ready money; money on hand; currency

  • 現役げんえき
    N1

    active duty; active service

  • 現れるあらわれる
    N3

    to appear; to come in sight; to become visible; to come out; to embody; to materialize; to materialise

  • 現行げんこう
    N1

    present; current; in operation

  • 現時点げんじてん
    N2

    present point (i.e. in history); at the present time

  • 現職げんしょく

    present post; current office; (an) incumbent

  • 現物げんぶつ

    actual article or goods

  • 現にげんに
    N2

    actually; really

  • 現像げんぞう
    N1

    development (of film); photographic processing

  • 現況げんきょう

    present condition

  • 現住所げんじゅうしょ
    N1

    (present) address

  • 現有げんゆう

    present; existing

Explore all words using 現 →

Study

Etymology

現 combines 王 (jewel) with 見 (see), suggesting a jewel becoming visible or appearing. The modern meaning extends this to anything present or actual.

Meaning mnemonic

A jewel 王 becomes visible when you see 見 it: what appears is present and actual.

Reading mnemonic

For ゲン, imagine a genie appearing from a jewel: genie -> ゲン, and the genie becomes present and real.