近
近·near
- On-yomi
- キン
- Kun-yomi
- ちか(い)
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 近い | ちかい | near |
| 近所 | きんじょ | neighbourhood |
| 最近 | さいきん | recently |
| 近く | ちかく | nearby |
Example sentences
駅は家から近いです。
えきはいえからちかいです。
The station is close to my house.
最近あまり寝ていません。
さいきんあまりねていません。
I haven't been sleeping much lately.
この近くにコンビニはありますか。
このちかくにコンビニはありますか。
Is there a convenience store near here?
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Reading 近所 as *ちかしょ — it is きんじょ.
- Saying 最近 for a single past event — it describes an ongoing recent stretch of time.
Memory aid
Picture it
The road radical 辶 carrying 斤 (an axe) — close enough to reach in a short walk.
Vocabulary using this kanji
- 最近さいきんrecently
- 近所きんじょneighborhood
- 近くちかくnearby
- 近いちかいnear
- 近頃ちかごろthese days
- 近代きんだいmodern times (the modern era)
- 近隣きんりんneighborhood, vicinity
- 接近するせっきんするto approach
- 近付けるちかづけるto bring near, to put close, to let come near
- 接近せっきんapproach, drawing near, getting closer
- 近寄るちかよるto approach, to draw near, to go up to
- 近々ちかぢかbefore long, soon, shortly
Quick check
1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 2 of 5
What does the kanji 近 mean?