also: こんにち · こんじつ · こんち
noun, adverb
Used as both a noun and an adverb. The normal everyday reading is きょう; こんにち or こんじつ can occur in more formal or set contexts.
今日は雨が降りそうだ。
It looks like it will rain today.
今日の会議は三時からです。
Today's meeting starts at three.
noun, adverb
nowadays; these days; the present day
Only with reading こんにち
Restricted to the reading こんにち. Often used in written or somewhat formal expressions such as 今日では and 今日の日本.
今日では、スマートフォンは生活に欠かせない道具になっている。
Nowadays, smartphones have become an essential tool in daily life.
今日の日本では、高齢化が大きな課題になっている。
In present-day Japan, population aging has become a major issue.
Common for the broader meaning “nowadays; the present day,” and also possible in more formal uses meaning “this day.”
Attested reading for “today,” but uncommon in modern everyday speech; 本日 is usually the clearer formal word for “today.”
Attested but rare reading; included mainly for recognition.
Kana spelling is a practical everyday spelling for “today,” especially in casual, learner-facing, or child-facing writing.
A more formal and unambiguous word for “today,” often used in announcements, business, and customer-facing speech.
Means “the present” or “currently”; it focuses on the current point or period rather than the calendar day.
Means “recently” or “lately”; unlike 今日 read こんにち, it emphasizes a recent period rather than the present age in general.
The kanji spelling combines 今 “now” and 日 “day.” きょう is a special reading of 今日, while こんにち corresponds to the Sino-Japanese readings of the characters.