Chinese–EnglishWith examples

正在

zhèng zài · zheng zai

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 1Old HSK 2

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. just at (that time)
  2. right in (that place)
  3. right in the middle of (doing sth)
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In a conversation

0:16 cartoon

Where are you right now?

  1. Dengdeng

    喂(wèi)，亮亮(liàngliàng)，你(nǐ)在(zài)做(zuò)什么(shénme)？

    Hello, Liangliang, what are you doing?

  2. Liangliang

    我(wǒ)正在(zhèngzài)做饭(zuòfàn)，你(nǐ)呢(ne)？

    I am cooking. And you?

  3. Dengdeng

    我(wǒ)正在(zhèngzài)敲(qiāo)你(nǐ)家(jiā)的(de)门(mén)。

    I am knocking on your door right now.

  4. Liangliang

    什么(shénme)？你(nǐ)正在(zhèngzài)敲(qiāo)我(wǒ)家(jiā)的(de)门(mén)？

    What? You are knocking on my door right now?

  5. Dengdeng

    对(duì)，我(wǒ)饿(è)了(le)，开门(kāimén)吧(ba)。

    Yes. I am hungry. Open the door.

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

我(wǒ)正(zhèng)在(zài)学(xué)习(xí)如(rú)何(hé)驾(jià)驶(shǐ)。

I'm learning how to drive.

Tatoeba: Chinese by umidake · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Simplified Chinese conversion; Pinyin added or corrected.

02

她(tā)正(zhèng)在(zài)厨(chú)房(fáng)里(lǐ)准(zhǔn)备(bèi)晚(wǎn)饭(fàn)。

She is preparing dinner in the kitchen right now.

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How to write

Stroke order & practice

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

The characters

Explore individually
正
zhèng

straight; upright

在
zài

at; in; to be (located) at; (marks an action in progress)

Individual character meanings do not always explain the meaning of a whole word.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

More words starting with ZExplore words in context