今

In oracle bone script (甲骨文 jiǎgǔwén), 今 depicted a vessel or mouth containing something inside, signifying the present possession or moment.

By the bronze inscription (금문) period, the sense shifted to denote “the time that is now.”

Original pictograph:

Depicted a mouth (口) turned upside down with something placed inside, symbolizing “that which is now being received or contained.”

Phono-semantic evolution:

Later forms simplified to depict a person (人) with symbolic strokes representing the current moment or that which is before one’s mouth (presently happening).

Eventually, 今 came to represent the present time in contrast to 古 (past) or 來 (future).

The character 今 is extremely productive in Korean compounds expressing time reference, from near-future (금후) to present context (금시초문, “hearing for the first time now”).

지금(只今) — now, at this very moment

금일(今日) — today

금년(今年) — this year

금후(今後) — hereafter, from now on

작금(昨今) — nowadays, recently (lit. “yesterday and today”)

고금(古今) — past and present

금시(今時) — the present time

당금(當今) — the present era; the current ruler

Derived Compounds:

今世 (금세) — this world, the present life

今生 (금생) — this lifetime

今昔 (금석) — past and present; “then and now”

今始初聞 (금시초문) — to hear something for the first time

In classical Chinese literature, 今 contrasts with 古 (“the past”) and is used to introduce moral or philosophical reflection on the present era:

《論語》：「子曰：古之學者為己，今之學者為人。」

Confucius said: “In ancient times people studied for themselves; now they study for others.”

The concept of 古今 (“past and present”) became central in Confucian and historical discourse, symbolizing temporal comparison between moral eras or dynasties.

The original meaning “to contain” was later preserved in 含 (머금을 함), while 今 was semantically borrowed (假借) to express “now.”