今日きょう

also: こんにち · こんじつ · こんち

きょ

う

Meanings

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.

今日きょうは雨あめが降ふりそうだ。
It looks like it will rain today.
今日きょうの会かい議ぎは三さん時じからです。
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.

今こん日にちでは、スマートフォンは生せい活かつに欠かかせない道どう具ぐになっている。
Nowadays, smartphones have become an essential tool in daily life.
今こん日にちの日本にほんでは、高こう齢れい化かが大おおきな課か題だいになっている。
In present-day Japan, population aging has become a major issue.

See all 3,965 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

今日きょうから〈動詞どうし〉〉to start doing something from today
今日きょうから新あたらしい仕し事ごとを始はじめる。
I'm starting a new job today.
今日きょうに至いたるまでup until the present day
今日きょうに至いたるまで、その伝でん統とうは続つづいている。
That tradition has continued right up to the present day.
今日きょうをもって〈事こと〉〉as of today, marking the formal end or start of something
今日きょうをもって退たい職しょくいたします。
As of today, I am retiring from the company.

Expressions· 12

今日きょうこの頃ごろthese days; nowadays; recently
昨日きのうの今日きょうright after yesterday; only yesterday; so soon after yesterday
昨日きのうや今日きょうonly recently; just the other day
今日きょうという今日きょうthis very day; today for sure; today is the day
今日きょうのところはfor today; for the time being

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今日きょうも今日きょうとてthe same as always; day after day
よりによって今日きょうtoday of all days
昨日きのうの友ともは今日きょうの敵てきfriends today, enemies tomorrow

See all 12 in Explore →

Kanji

今now
日day, sun, Japan

Related words

現げん在ざいN3sense 2
現在 focuses narrowly on the current moment or period, while 今日 read こんにち has a broader, more era-like sense of “the present day.”
今こんN2
今日 is the independent everyday word for 'today', while 今 (こん) as a prefix appears only inside formal compounds referring to today's instance of something, like 今暁 or 今般.

Opposites

昨日きのうN5sense 1
昨日 means “yesterday,” the day immediately before 今日 on the calendar.
明日あしたN5sense 1
明日 means “tomorrow,” the day immediately after 今日 on the calendar.

Politeness

本ほん日じつpolite 丁寧語N3sense 1
本日 is the formal, businesslike equivalent of 今日, used in announcements and customer-facing speech where 今日 would sound too casual.

Don't confuse with

今朝けさN5
今日 means 'today' as a whole day, whereas 今朝 narrows that down to just the morning portion of today, so learners often mix up which part of the day is meant.
今こん日にち的てき
今日 (read きょう) simply means 'today' as a specific day, whereas 今日的 (こんにちてき) is an adjective meaning 'of the present era, contemporary'.

Word family

昨日きのう今日きょう
yesterday and today · only recently; just recently; only yesterday
今日日きょうび
nowadays; these days
今日きょうイチ
today's best; best of the day
今日きょう中じゅうに
by today; before the day is over
今日きょう明日あす
today and tomorrow · today or tomorrow; in a day or two; very soon
先せん週しゅうの今日きょう
this day last week; a week ago today

Written forms

今日Usage92%
- きょう
  gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun
  Most common everyday reading for “today.” This reading is a special kanji reading.
- こんにち
  Common for the broader meaning “nowadays; the present day,” and also possible in more formal uses meaning “this day.”
- こんじつ
  Attested reading for “today,” but uncommon in modern everyday speech; 本日 is usually the clearer formal word for “today.”
- こんち
  Attested but rare reading; included mainly for recognition.
きょうUsage7%
gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun
Kana spelling is a practical everyday spelling for “today,” especially in casual, learner-facing, or child-facing writing.
こんにちUsage1%
コンニチUsage<1%
キョウUsage0%
こんち
こんじつ

Etymology

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.