存在
cúnzài
In Mandarin, 'presence' can be translated as 存在 (cúnzài) or 出席 depending on the context.
Meaning: fact or condition of being present (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mandarin | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 存在 | cúnzài |
| 出席 | chūxí |
Use 存在 to describe the existence or presence of an object, a concept or a phenomenon, such as the presence of danger or the presence of a linguistic category. Use 出席 when referring to a person's physical presence or attendance at a specific event or gathering.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 存在 is composed of 存 (to exist/to keep) and 在 (to be at/to exist).
Which one should you use?
While English uses the single word 'presence' for both existence and attendance, Mandarin distinguishes between the two. Use 存在 for abstract or physical existence (e.g., the presence of a concept). Use 出席 specifically for attendance at a formal meeting, ceremony or event.
How do you pronounce it?
cúnzài
Did you know?
- When talking about a person's 'presence' or 'aura' in a charismatic sense, Mandarin uses 气场, which literally translates to 'energy field'.
- While 出席 means 'presence' in the sense of attendance, the character 出 means 'to go out'. This suggests that attending an event is viewed as 'coming out' into a public space.
- In a formal roll call, instead of saying 'present', a person might simply say 到 (dào), which literally means 'arrived'.
Examples in context
- 俄語動詞的一個特徵是存在體的範疇。A special feature of verbs in the Russian language is the presence of the category of aspect.The sentence is useful for illustrating the use of 存在 when discussing the presence of a grammatical category.Tatoeba #13519149 by LeviHighway, translation #13187475 by atitarev
- 红旗代表存在危险。The red flag indicated the presence of danger.The sentence is useful for showing how 存在 is used to indicate the presence of danger.Tatoeba #810980 by fucongcong, translation #272427 by CM
- 他已经确认出席会议。He has confirmed his presence at the meeting.
- 大使因紧急事务无法出席。The ambassador is unable to attend due to urgent matters.
- 你们需要我在场吗?Do you need me to be present?
Example conversation
Wei and Yuting are discussing a scientific discovery.
- 雨婷 Yuting你相信外星生命的存在吗？Nǐ xiāngxìn wàixīng shēngmìng de cúnzài ma?Do you believe in the existence of alien life?
- 伟 Wei我觉得很有可能存在其他生命。Wǒ juédé hěn yǒu kěnéng cúnzài qítā shēngmìng.I think it is very possible that other life exists.
- 雨婷 Yuting但是目前还没有证据证明他们的存在。Dànshì mùqián hái méiyǒu zhèngjù zhèngmíng tāmen de cúnzài.But currently there is no evidence to prove their existence.
- 伟 Wei也许科学很快就能找到证据。Yěxǔ kēxué hěn kuài jiù néng zhǎodào zhèngjù.Maybe science will find evidence very soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “presence” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
