Onyomi: キン, コン · Kunyomi: ちか.い · Meanings: akin, early, near, tantamount
Kanji for akin, early, near, tantamount
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The kanji 近 combines the “movement” radical (辶) with the “person” radical (斤), symbolizing a person moving closer to a place. In ancient times, it represented approaching or being nearby. 近 came to mean near, close, or recent, capturing proximity and nearness.
A person moving forward — 近 means near, close, or nearby.
Imagine walking closer to someone or something — that’s 近, the kanji for near and close.
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Meta |
|---|---|---|---|
| 近い | ちかい | near, close, short (distance) | common JLPT-N5 I-adjective (keiyoushi) |
| 近く | ちかく | near, neighbourhood, neighborhood, vicinity | common JLPT-N5 Noun, Noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', Adverb (fukushi) |
| 近所 | きんじょ | neighbourhood, neighborhood, vicinity | common JLPT-N4 Noun, Noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no' |
| 近視 | きんし | myopia, shortsightedness, nearsightedness | common JLPT-N1 Noun, Noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no' |
| 近代 | きんだい | present day, modern times, recent times | common JLPT-N3 Noun |
| 近頃 | ちかごろ | lately, recently, nowadays | common JLPT-N3 Adverb (fukushi), Noun, Noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no' |
| 近々 | ちかぢか | soon, before long, shortly, in the near future | common JLPT-N2 JLPT-N1 Adverb (fukushi) |
| 近づける | ちかづける | to bring near, to bring close, to let go near | common JLPT-N2 Ichidan verb, Transitive verb |
| 近寄る | ちかよる | to approach, to draw near | common JLPT-N2 Godan verb with 'ru' ending, Intransitive verb |
| 近郊 | きんこう | outskirts, environs (of a city), surrounding area, surroundings | common JLPT-N1 Noun |
| 近づく | ちかづく | to approach, to draw near, to get close | common JLPT-N1 Godan verb with 'ku' ending, Intransitive verb |
| 近眼 | きんがん | nearsightedness, shortsightedness, myopia | common JLPT-N1 Noun, Na-adjective (keiyodoshi), Noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no' |
| 近東 | きんとう | Near East | Noun |
| 近年 | きんねん | recent years | common Noun, Adverb (fukushi) |
| 近道 | ちかみち | shorter way, shortcut | common Noun, Suru verb, Intransitive verb |