What is the difference between zhe4 ji3 tian1 versus zui4jin4?

[piano0011]

From my understanding, are both zhe4 ji3 tian1 and zui4jin4 similar in meaning? They both mean recently? Can I say...

 

1) ni zhe ji tian zen me yang = ni zuijin zen me yang? 

2) zhe ji tian, tianqi hen leng le = zuijin tianqi hen leng le

[honglam]

In such context they are approximately the same. Should highlight that both 这几天 and 最近 can be used to express both the past and the future. Like in 这几天我要去法国, or 最近我要去法国.

Generally speaking they are not the same. 这几天 literally means “these several days", which can mean the very period of time according to the context, like "那是大会开幕前的一周。这几天里他总是忙忙碌碌的，连家都没回" = That's the week before the opening of the conference. In these days he was always busy, and hasd't gone back home even once." Here 这几天 doesn't have a meaning of "recent". 最近 doesn't have such a meaning. Literally it can be regarded as the superlative form of the adjective 近(that's to say, "the nearest", or "the most recent", depending on it's space or time you are describing.). So some time you'll see 最近 used with this meaning, but I think then it'll always be followed by a particle 的. Like "最近的车站在哪里?" = Where's the nearest station? Yet you can use 最近 as the adjective "recent" as well, as to say "这是最近的报告" = These are the recent report.

[piano0011]

Perhaps someone can also give me their opinion on this but i guess that "these days" imply more recently than recently but I still think that both have similar meaning...

 

recently i have been busy with work = these few days, I have been busy with work..

recently i have been sick = these few days i have been sick

 

I think there is not much difference right? 

[suMMit]

On 1/21/2024 at 10:29 AM, piano0011 said:

I think there is not much difference right? 

People give you an answer to your "What's the difference between" questions, and then it's as if you don't believe the answers?‍?

[piano0011]

not to say I don't believe the answers but just wondering if there are any differences but guess they are both the same..

 

@honglam so does the meaning of zuijin has a longer period time frame than zhe ji tian? I guess when we say recently, it sounds like a longer period of time than these few days but even in english, this can be confusing...guess, they are both similarly used to refer to recently... 

 

wo zuijin hen mang = wo zhe ji tian hen mang

[honglam]

On 1/23/2024 at 8:06 AM, piano0011 said:

so does the meaning of zuijin has a longer period time frame than zhe ji tian?

I'd say perhaps if you want an ultimate answer, but I'd say the slight difference is meaningless as well. But why trouble yourself about such a difference? By using these two words, you are already describing a period of time approximately. I think whether it's shorter or longer doesn't means that much.

On 1/23/2024 at 8:06 AM, piano0011 said:

wo zuijin hen mang = wo zhe ji tian hen mang

That's okay.

[piano0011]

@honglam thanks again..