이제
ije · TOPIK 1
now, from now on
⏰ 이 (this) + 제 (time, from 적에) = at this time, now
이제 breaks into 이, the word for this, plus 제, a contraction of 적에 meaning at the time. This time = now. The same 제 shows up in 어제 (yesterday) and 언제 (when), so learning it once unlocks a small family of time words.