B1 noun Formal 1 min read

至今

zhijin /ʈʂɨ⁵¹ tɕin⁵⁵/
Practice it

Zhìjīn bridges the past and present, emphasizing a state that persists to this day.

Word in 30 Seconds

  • Indicates continuity from a past point up to the present moment.
  • Commonly used to emphasize that a situation remains unchanged.
  • Frequently appears in formal writing and historical contexts.

Overview

  1. 1概述：‘至今’是一个时间名词，在句中主要起副词性状语的作用。它的核心含义是‘直到现在’（Until now），强调时间的持续性和状态的连贯性。2) 用法特点：‘至今’可以放在句首作为状语，也可以放在主语之后。它经常与‘仍’、‘还’、‘依然’等副词连用，以加强‘依然如故’的语气。此外，它也常出现在否定句中，表示某事‘至今未’发生。3) 常见语境：该词广泛应用于正式书面语、新闻报道、历史叙述以及日常生活中对长期状态的描述。例如，描述一个古老的建筑、一个未解的谜团或一段长久的友谊。4) 词义辨析：‘至今’与‘迄今’意义相近，但‘迄今’更为正式，常用于‘迄今为止’。与‘直到’相比，‘至今’的时间终点明确指向‘现在’，而‘直到’后面可以接任何时间点（如‘直到昨天’）。‘至今’更侧重于从过去到现在的‘跨度’，而不仅仅是一个时间截止点。

Examples

1

他两年前出国了，至今杳无音信。

everyday

He went abroad two years ago and has not been heard from since.

2

这件艺术品至今仍保存在国家博物馆里。

formal

This piece of art is still preserved in the National Museum to this day.

3

我至今还记得我们第一次见面的场景。

informal

I still remember the scene of our first meeting to this day.

4

该理论在科学界至今仍存在争议。

academic

This theory remains controversial in the scientific community to this day.

Common Collocations

至今为止 so far / up to now
至今仍 still... to this day
流传至今 passed down to the present

Common Phrases

至今未果

has not yielded results to this day

闻名至今

famous to this day

Often Confused With

至今 vs 直到

‘直到’ can point to any time (until yesterday, until tomorrow), whereas ‘至今’ always points to 'now'.

至今 vs 目前

‘目前’ means 'at present' (current state), while ‘至今’ emphasizes the duration from the past to now.

Grammar Patterns

主语 + 至今 + 动词/形容词 至今 + 主语 + 动词/形容词 时间点 + 至今

How to Use It

Usage Notes

‘至今’ is primarily a formal word but is frequently used in neutral daily speech to add weight to a statement. It is almost always used as an adverbial modifier before the verb phrase.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is using '至今' to describe a finished past event (e.g., 'He stayed there until 2010' cannot use '至今'). Another mistake is redundant usage like '到现在至今'.

Tips

💡

Enhance Emphasis with Adverbs

Pair '至今' with '仍' (réng) or '依然' (yīrán) to strongly emphasize that a situation has not changed at all.

⚠️

Avoid Using for Short Durations

Don't use '至今' for events that started very recently; it usually implies a significant passage of time.

🌍

Historical Continuity in Chinese Culture

This word is often used in China to link ancient traditions or landmarks to modern life, showing respect for heritage.

Word Origin

Derived from Classical Chinese where '至' (reach) and '今' (the present) were combined to mark the temporal limit of a continuing action.

Cultural Context

In Chinese literature, '至今' is often used to evoke a sense of nostalgia or to highlight the enduring nature of values, buildings, or legends despite the passage of dynasties.

Memory Tip

Break it down: '至' (zhì) means 'to reach' and '今' (jīn) means 'today/now'. So, it literally means 'reaching today'.

Frequently Asked Questions

4 questions

不可以。‘至今’的终点必须是‘现在’或说话的时刻，不能用于预测未来或描述过去已经结束的事情。

‘至今’书面语色彩更浓，更正式；‘到现在’则更口语化。在正式写作或演讲中，优先使用‘至今’。

是的，‘至今为止’是一个非常常见的固定搭配，表示‘到目前为止’（so far）。

通常后面会跟动词或形容词来描述状态，例如‘至今下落不明’或‘至今依然美丽’。

Test Yourself

fill blank

那座古桥历经千年，___ 依然坚固。

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: a

‘至今’表示从过去（千年）到现在依然保持某种状态。

multiple choice

他离开家乡已经十年了，至今没有回来过。

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: b

‘至今’的核心含义就是‘直到现在’。

sentence building

谜团 / 这个 / 至今 / 揭开 / 仍未 / 被

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: d

‘至今’可以放在句首或主语‘这个谜团’之后。

Score: /3

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