The Mandarin Chinese word for “now” is xiànzài, pronounced with two fourth tones (falling tones). Since time modifiers are important for establishing Mandarin tense, xiànzài is commonly heard in everyday conversation.

There are two characters in xiànzài: 現在. The first character, xiàn, means “now” or “current” and the character, zài, means “located at.”

Xiànzài can be literally translated as “in the present.”
Examples of Xianzai

    Xiànzài shì jīdiǎn zhōng?
    現在是幾點鐘?
    现在是几点钟?
    What time is it?

    Wǒmen xiànzài chī fàn, hǎo bù hǎo?
    我們現在吃飯, 好不好?
    我们现在吃饭, 好不好?
    We will eat now, OK?