■ radical

jīn

modern

How it’s built

Pictograph of sounds coming out of the mouth. The current meaning "today" is a phonetic loan. The original meaning "moan" is now written as 吟.

Through the ages

Oracle bone script

Bronze script

Seal script

Appears in

Characters that use 今 as a component, most common first.

金jīngold 念niànto think of 含hánto hold in the mouth 琴qínChinese lute or guitar 贪tāngreedy 吟yínto sing 岑cénsteep 矜jīnto pity 黔qiánblack 陰yīnthe female principle 貪tāngreedy

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