The word 今生 (jīnshēng) is a compound formed by combining the character 今 (jīn), meaning "now" or "present," with the character 生 (shēng), meaning "life" or "birth." Together, they create a concept that literally translates to "present life" or "this life," specifically referring to one's current lifetime in contrast to a past or future existence, a notion deeply rooted in Buddhist and traditional Chinese philosophical thought about rebirth and the continuum of life.