昨今

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 昨今, read さっこん, denotes a somewhat formal expression referring broadly to current or recent times.
• Basic usage: It refers to varied ways of working nowadays and energy-saving features seen in recent homes.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• More formal than casual “recently”
  • It broadly describes current times and is more common in writing or commentary than casual conversation.