Explore 近 through distance, neighbourhood and recent time. Connect each reading with a complete word and a useful context.

The idea

近 has 7 strokes; follow the linked stroke-order diagram. Read 近い（ちかい）, 近所（きんじょ）, 最近（さいきん）, 近く（ちかく） as whole words. The table shows each reading in context.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingExample in context
近いちかいMy school is nearby.
近所きんじょThere is a park in the neighbourhood.
最近さいきんI have been very busy lately.
近くちかくOur house is near the station.

Examples

  • 私わたしたちの家いえは駅えきの近ちかくです。Our house is near the station.
  • 台風たいふうが近ちかづいています。A typhoon is approaching.
  • 川かわの近ちかくに住すんでいます。I live near a river.
  • 私わたしの学校がっこうは近ちかいです。My school is nearby.
  • 近所きんじょに公園こうえんがあります。There is a park in the neighbourhood.
  • 最近さいきんとても忙いそがしいです。I have been very busy lately.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

近い describes being near, 近所 is a neighbourhood, and 最近 means recently. The last refers to time, not physical distance. Compare 近 with 返: notice their different parts.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 近い in hiragana.

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    ちかい

    近い is read ちかい. In context: My school is nearby. Learn the reading with the whole word.

  2. Write the reading of 近所 in hiragana.

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    きんじょ

    近所 is read きんじょ. In context: There is a park in the neighbourhood. Learn the reading with the whole word.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: 最＿（さいきん）［近／返］.

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    近

    近 completes 最近, read さいきん. In context: I have been very busy lately.

Use it today

Write 近 using the stroke-order diagram. Cover the table, read 近い and 近所, and make a sentence with one of them.