近 (jìn) - near & close (in distance or time)

近Tone 4

jìn ｜ 7 strokes ｜ radical: 辶

傑君

近 · jìn

near;

close (in distance or time);

recent;

approaching;

intimate

nearclose (in distance or time)recent

Usage highlights

recentlyclose friendnearbyapproachmodern timesshort distance

Synonyms

  • 接近— to approach; to be close to
  • 附近— nearby; vicinity

Antonyms

  • 远— far; distant
  • 遥— distant; remote

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • My home is near the school (家离学校很近).
  • I saw him recently (最近我见到他了).
  • This is a close friend (这是一位近友).
  • The exam is approaching (考试日期临近).

Collocations

  • recently(最近)
  • close friend(近友)
  • nearby(附近)
  • approach(接近)
  • modern times(近代)
  • short distance(近距离)

Idioms

  • Near to vermilion, one gets stained red; near to ink, one gets stained black(近朱者赤，近墨者黑)
  • Distant relatives are not as helpful as close neighbors(远亲不如近邻)
  • Pragmatic(急功近利)
  • Plain and unadorned(言近旨远)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character embodies the concept of proximity, both physical and relational, which is highly valued in Chinese social philosophy.
  • It is used in many idioms that convey moral lessons about the influence of one's environment and relationships.

FAQ