adverb HSK 2
in the process of · in the middle of · currently doing
Meaning
正在 is an adverb that indicates an action is currently in progress at the moment of speaking. It emphasizes the ongoing nature of an activity happening right now. It typically appears before the verb in a sentence.
Usage
Native speakers use 正在 to stress that something is happening at this very moment. It's often paired with 呢 at the end of the sentence for emphasis (正在...呢). It cannot be used with completed actions or habitual activities. Common in both spoken and written Mandarin to describe present continuous actions.
Examples
- 01我正在看书呢，别打扰我。, .I'm reading right now, don't disturb me.
- 02他们正在开会，一会儿就出来。, .They're in a meeting right now, they'll be out in a moment.
Characters
Common collocations
- 正在...呢...in the middle of doing... (emphatic)
- 正在进行currently in progress
- 正在考虑currently considering
Antonyms
Origin
正在 combines 正 (exactly/just) with 在 (at/in the process of) to create a compound adverb emphasizing the precise moment an action is occurring.