近
near; close
jìn
What does 近 mean?
近 (jìn) means 'near' or 'close' in distance, time, or relationship. The most common pattern is 离 A 近 ('be close to A') — for example, 我家离学校很近 ('my home is close to school'). Note that the structure 'A is close to B' becomes 'A 离 B 近' in Chinese, with 离 ('away from') marking the reference point — the opposite of English word order. 近 also extends metaphorically to time (最近 = 'recently'), to relationships (我们关系很近 = 'we're very close'), and to similarity (近似 = 'similar').
It is often paired with 远 (yuǎn, 'far') for contrast: 远近 (distance, near-and-far). Beware the homophone 进
Character breakdown
near; close
Memory hook: Walk radical 辶 + 斤 (axe / catty) — only a short walk away, like the distance you'd carry an axe. Same radical as 进 (enter), so beware the mix-up.
Example sentences
我家离这儿很近。
Wǒ jiā lí zhèr hěn jìn.
My home is very close to here.
spoken
最近你忙吗？
Zuìjìn nǐ máng ma?
Have you been busy lately?
spoken
学校附近有一个咖啡店。
Xuéxiào fùjìn yǒu yí ge kāfēi diàn.
There's a coffee shop near the school.
neutral
他们家离公司不太近。
Tāmen jiā lí gōngsī bú tài jìn.
Their home isn't very close to the office.
neutral
Common phrases with 近
Synonyms
附近 is a noun meaning 'the area nearby' — 学校附近 ('the area around the school'). 近 is an adjective: 离学校很近 ('close to the school'). Different grammar even though both express closeness.
靠近 is a verb meaning 'to be close to / to approach' — 银行靠近地铁站 ('the bank is close to the subway station'). 近 alone is the adjective.
Don't confuse 近 with
FAQ
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