今日|きょうkyou[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. noun, adverbtoday; this day
   その事故じこは去年きょねんの今日きょう、起おきたのだ。↗

   The accident happened a year ago today.

   今日きょうは何なんをしたいですか。↗

   What would you like to do today?
2. noun, adverbthese days; recently; nowadays
   今日きょうますます多おおくの人ひとが、都会とかいより田舎いなかの生活せいかつを好このむようになっています。↗

   Nowadays more and more people prefer country life to city life.

• Synonym本日ほんじつFormalFormal equivalent of 「今日」, heard in business, announcements and signs such as 「本日休業」; in everyday speech 「今日」 is the default.
• Synonym今いまNeutralPoints to this moment or the present rather than the day itself; 「今日」 is today on the calendar, though colloquially it can also mean 'nowadays'.
• Synonym現下げんかWrittenWritten word for the current situation, as in 「現下の情勢」; not part of everyday speech.
• Synonym当世とうせいWrittenWritten word for the present world, as in 「当世風」, carrying an old-fashioned flavor.
• Synonym時下じかWrittenEpistolary word found in the seasonal greetings that open letters; it refers to the present season, not to today, and stays out of daily speech.
• Synonym現今げんこんWrittenWritten word for 'nowadays, at present'; in daily conversation people say 「今」 or 「現在」 instead.
• Synonym当今とうこんWrittenWritten word for the present day; it also serves as the traditional way to refer to the reigning emperor.
• Related現時点げんじてんWrittenWritten style for the current point in time, common in reports and news; it never means today the day, which is what 「今日」 gives you.
• Related今日この頃きょうこのごろNeutralCovers recent days or weeks with a reflective, wistful tone; typical of essays and greetings rather than a plain statement about today.
• Related今時いまどきCasualColloquial 'these days', often carrying a note of surprise that something still happens, as in 「今時珍しい」; 「今日」 is the neutral word for today.
• Related近頃ちかごろNeutralMeans 'lately, recently', as in 「近頃の若者」, with a slightly colloquial feel; 「今日」 points at today itself but can also broadly mean 'nowadays'.
• Related現在げんざいNeutralThe present moment or period; also used as 'as of' after a date, as in 「三月現在」. More formal than 「今」 and never refers to today the day.
• Related最近さいきんNeutralSpans the stretch from the recent past up to now, as in 「最近忙しい」; it does not single out today the way 「今日」 does.
• Related現代げんだいNeutralNames the era that includes the present, as in 「現代社会」; it operates at the level of an age, not a single day.
• Related刻下こっかWrittenOld-fashioned written word meaning 'right now, at this moment'; virtually unused in modern Japanese.
• Related方今ほうこんWrittenAntiquated written word for 'nowadays, at present'; almost never used today.
• Related当節とうせつWrittenWritten word for 'these days' with a slightly old-fashioned air, as in 「当節の流行」.
• Related輓近ばんきんWrittenRare written word for 'recently'; in ordinary contexts 「最近」 is what you hear.
• Related今節こんせつWrittenCan mean 'nowadays', but also the current round of a sports league; rare in daily use either way.
• Antonym昨日きのうNeutralThe day before today; the natural antonym of 「今日」.
• Antonym明日あしたNeutralThe day after today; by extension it can also mean the future, as opposed to 「今日」.

For 'today' itself, 「今日」 is the default; switch to 「本日」 in formal business or announcements. For 'nowadays' use 「今」, 「最近」 or 「近頃」; 「今時」 adds a colloquial 'these days' exclamation, and 「現代」 speaks of the era. 「現在」 covers the present moment or 'as of' a date. The rest are written or dated words — 「現時点」「現下」「時下」「現今」「当今」「当節」「当世」 and rarer 「刻下」「方今」「輓近」「今節」 — while 「今日この頃」 muses about recent days. 「昨日」 and 「明日」 are the neighboring days.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 今いま過すごしているその日ひ、この日ひ。本日ほんじつ。明日あすの前日ぜんじつ。
2. 現代げんだい、現在げんざい。