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道Nihongo Path
隣

隣·neighbor, next door

On-yomi
リン
Kun-yomi
となりとなる

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.

16 strokes, numbered in writing order. Data: KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
隣となりnext door, the one beside
隣人りんじんneighbour
隣の家となりのいえthe house next door
近隣きんりんthe neighbourhood, vicinity

Example sentences

  1. 隣の席に座ってもいいですか。

    となりのせきにすわってもいいですか。

    May I sit in the seat next to you?

  2. 隣の家の猫がよく庭に来ます。

    となりのいえのねこがよくにわにきます。

    The cat from next door often comes into our garden.

  3. 近隣の住民から工事について苦情が出た。

    きんりんのじゅうみんからこうじについてくじょうがでた。

    Residents in the neighbourhood complained about the construction.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • Mixing up 隣 (immediately next to, same kind of thing) with 横 (beside) and 近く (nearby)
  • Reading 隣人 as *となりじん; it is りんじん

Memory aid

Picture it

A hill (阝) with the house right on the other side of it — the closest one over.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

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What does the kanji 隣 mean?