在 means “be located, exist, stay”

ざい · zai

Also: outskirts, suburbs, located in

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading): ある
On'yomi (Chinese reading): ザイ

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 5 · 6 strokes

The story

A sprout (才, drawn at a slant) rooted in the earth (土): something that is here, in this place. 現在 is now, 存在 is existence, and a 不在票, "absence slip", is the note a Japanese courier leaves when you are out.

Used in 現在 (genzai, now/the present), 存在 (sonzai, existence), and 不在 (fuzai, absence)

在 means “be located, exist, stay”

The story

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