Translation and Meaning of: 今 - ima

If you are studying Japanese, you have certainly come across the word 今[いま] — a simple term, but full of nuances. In this article, we will explore its etymology, everyday usage, and even tips for memorizing this kanji without hassle. Besides the basic meaning ("now"), we will see how the Japanese apply this word in everyday expressions and why it is so prevalent in the language. And if you use Anki or another spaced repetition method, get ready to jot down practical examples that will boost your studies!

The origin and the pictogram of 今

The kanji 今 has an interesting visual history: its ancient design represented a lid pressing something down, symbolizing the idea of "present moment." Over time, the writing evolved into its current form but retained the notion of something that is happening at this very moment. In the composition of other terms, such as 今日[きょう] (today) or 今月[こんげつ] (this month), it always reinforces the idea of immediate temporality.

One curiosity is that, although いま is the most common reading, in combinations with other kanjis it can sound completely different — like in 今晩[こんばん] (tonight). This is one of those cases where memorizing it in isolation is not enough: it's necessary to see the word in context to get the hang of it.

Use in everyday life and popular expressions

The Japanese use 今 with a naturalness that goes beyond the basics. Phrases like 今どこ？ ("Where are you now?") are common in messages, while 今やってる ("I'm doing it now") appears in informal conversations. In stores, you might hear 今お持ちします ("I'll bring it right away"), showing how the term is connected to imminent action.

But be careful: in some contexts, 今 can have a slightly impatient tone. Saying 今行く ("I'm going now") sounds more urgent than a simple すぐ (soon). A friend of mine once got scolded at work for responding 今やります ("I'll do it now") while he was on his phone — in Japan, "now" means right now, not "in a little while".

Tips to memorize and avoid traps

To avoid confusing 今 with similar kanjis like 令, an infallible technique is to associate its upper stroke with a "roof" that protects the present moment. Another trick is to remember that it appears in everyday key words: from 今度[こんど] (this time) to 今朝[けさ] (this morning).

If you want to practice, try creating sentences with temporal contrasts: Yesterday was busy, but now I'm free ("昨日は忙しかったけど、今は暇"). This type of exercise reinforces both vocabulary and the concept of time — something that Japanese teachers love to test in exams. And when in doubt about usage, remember: if the situation demands urgency, 今 is your best choice.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

本日 (ほんじつ) - Today (formal)
この日 (このひ) - This day
きょう (きょう) - Today (informal)
いま (いま) - now
いまだ (いまだ) - Still (indicates continuity, not finished)
いまのところ (いまのところ) - For now, at this moment
いまさら (いまさら) - Now (used to indicate that it is too late for something)
いまだに (いまだに) - Still (saying that something persists to the present)

Related words

ただ今

tadaima

Here I am; I am at home!; Currently; immediately; now; now; now

今回

konkai

now; this time; lately

今後

kongo

from now on; from here on

今度

kondo

now; this time; the next time; another time

今日は

konnichiha

Hello; good morning (daytime identification)

今晩は

konbanha

boa noite

今年

kotoshi

This year

今朝

kesa

this morning

今日

kyou

today; this day

今更

imasara

now; at this late hour

今

Romaji: ima
Kana: いま
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n5

Translation / Meaning: now; the present time; right now; shortly; immediately; (another.

Meaning in English: now;the present time;just now;soon;immediately;(one) more

Definition: "Ima" is a Japanese word that describes this moment or the current time.

Quick Access
- Vocabulary
- Writing
- Sentences

How to Write in Japanese - (今) ima

See below a step-by-step guide on how to write the word by hand in Japanese. (今) ima:

Example Sentences - (今) ima

See below some example sentences:

彼女は今日不在です。

Kanojo wa kyō fuzai desu

She is not present today.

She is absent today.

彼女 (kanojo) - she
は (wa) - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
今日 (kyou) - today
不在 (fuzai) - absent
です (desu) - verb to be in the polite form

只今帰りました。

Tadaima kaerimashita

I just got back now.

I'm back now.

只今 (tadaima) - It means "right now" or "I just arrived"
帰りました (kaerimashita) - It means "returning home".

今日はいい天気ですね。

Kyou wa ii tenki desu ne

Today is a good time

It's nice weather today, isn't that it.

今日 - today
は - Topic particle
いい - good
天気 - time weather
です - verb to be in the polite form
ね - confirmation or agreement-seeking particle

今日は特売があります。

Kyou wa tokubai ga arimasu

Today has special promotion.

There is a special sale today.

今日 - means "today" in Japanese.
は - It is a Japanese grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence.
特売 - it is a Japanese word that means "special sale" or "promotion".
が - is a Japanese grammatical particle that indicates the subject of the sentence.
あります - is a Japanese verb that means "to exist" or "to have".

今日の会議はとても重要です。

Kyou no kaigi wa totemo juuyou desu

Today's meeting is very important.

今日の - today
会議 - meeting
は - Topic particle
とても - very
重要 - important
です - Verb to be/estar in the present

今日の会見は非常に重要です。

Kyou no kaiken wa hijou ni juuyou desu

Today's conference is very important.

今日の会見 - today's meeting
は - Topic particle
非常に - extremely
重要 - important
です - Verb to be/estar in the present

今日の会談は非常に建設的でした。

Kyou no kaidan wa hijou ni kensetsu teki deshita

Today's lecture was very constructive.

今日の会談 - "Kyou no kaidan" means "today's meeting" in Japanese.
は - "Wa" is a grammatical particle in Japanese that indicates the topic of the sentence.
非常に - "Hijouni" means "a lot" or "extremely" in Japanese.
建設的 - "Kensetsuteki" means "constructive" in Japanese.
でした - "Deshita" is a polite past form of the verb "to be" in Japanese.

今週末に大会があります。

Konshūmatsu ni taikai ga arimasu

There is a tournament this weekend.