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近 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
近jìnnearHSK 2, a, 7 strokes, radical 辶, rank #1100, Medium
近jìnclose toHSK 2, a, 7 strokes, radical 辶, rank #1100, Medium
近jìnapproximatelyHSK 2, a, 7 strokes, radical 辶, rank #1100, Medium
近jìnto approach; near, close; intimateHSK 2, a, 7 strokes, radical 辶, rank #1100, Medium
jìn(jin4) T4
  1. 1near
  2. 2close to
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
近jìn(jin4)

The character 近 (jìn) means 'near' or 'close to' and is used to describe physical proximity or time-related closeness. It can also indicate intimacy or familiarity in relationships and is often used in contexts such as location, time, and personal connections.

Strokes7Radical辶Frequency#1100DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of closeness is significant in relationships, whether familial or platonic. The use of 近 in expressions reflects the value placed on maintaining close ties within the community.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'jinx' that brings two friends closer together. The character 近 has the radical for 'near' and a resemblance to 'jinx', helping you remember that it signifies closeness and intimacy.

Meanings of 近

jìn(jin4)
1near
2close to
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 近

近Simplified
7Strokes
辶Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#1100Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L2HSK 3.0L2ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 近

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Podcast: 近

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AI Study Notes for 近

Quick Contrast

近 (jìn) vs 附近 (fùjìn) — use 近 for direct proximity or closeness, while 附近 specifically refers to the nearby area.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a 'jinx' that brings two friends closer together. The character 近 has the radical for 'near' and a resemblance to 'jinx', helping you remember that it signifies closeness and intimacy.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 近, as a mispronunciation could lead to confusion with similar-sounding words. Common collocations include 近距离 (jìn jùlí, 'close distance') and 近来 (jìn lái, 'recently').

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 2 word, 近 connects to other basic vocabulary related to location and time. Focus on using it in sentences to describe proximity in various contexts, enhancing your spatial and temporal language skills.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of closeness is significant in relationships, whether familial or platonic. The use of 近 in expressions reflects the value placed on maintaining close ties within the community.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 近 with 近乎 (jìnhū), which means 'almost' or 'nearly'. Instead of saying '他近乎到了' (He is near), the correct form would be '他快到了' (He is close to arriving).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 近

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Etymology of 近

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 辶 represents the meaning and 斤 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

walk

Semantic (meaning)辶
+
Phonetic (sound)斤
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 近?

Decomposition of 近

IDS Structure⿺辶斤
近Full Character
=
辶chuo4
enclosing
斤jin1
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 近?

Write 近

近

Practice writing 近 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 近

近 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 3

Complete the Sentence

我家离学校很____。

My home is close to the school.

Example Sentences for 近 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我近来双手一直疼痛麻木。

wǒ jìn lái shuāng shǒu yī zhí téng tòng má mù。

I have recently been suffering from pain and numbness in my hands.
2
最近我开始经常散步和骑自行车。

zuì jìn wǒ kāi shǐ jīng cháng sàn bù hé qí zì háng chē。

Recently I've started to do a lot of walking and cycling.
3
离最近的酒吧有长长的5英里的路程。

lí zuì jìn de jiǔ bā yǒu cháng cháng de5 5 yīng lǐ de lù。

It was five long miles to the nearest pub.
4
从公司可以查到离你最近的零售商的名字。

cóng gōng sī kě yǐ chá dào lí nǐ zuì jìn de líng shòu shāng de míng zì。

The name of your nearest stockist is available from the company.
5
你可以近距离观察飞机的起降。

nǐ kě yǐ jìn jù lí guān chá fēi jī de qǐ jiàng。

You can watch aircraft take off or land at close quarters.
6
煦暖的气候将比目鱼引到了近海。

xù nuǎn de qì hòu jiāng bǐ mù yú yǐn dào le jìn hǎi。

Warm weather has attracted the flat fish close to shore.
7
他们走近时，小男孩急忙跑开藏了起来。

tā mén zǒu jìn shí， ， xiǎo nán hái jí máng pǎo kāi cáng le qǐ。

At their approach the little boy scurried away and hid.
8
673家私人高尔夫俱乐部参与了最近的研究。

673 673 jiā sī rén gāo ěr fū jù lè bù cān yǔ le zuì jìn de yán。

673 private golf clubs took part in a recent study.
9
我们靠近时,我看见汽车行李箱的盖子翘了起来.

wǒ mén kào jìn shí, , wǒ kàn jiàn qì chē háng lǐ xiāng de gài zǐ qiáo le qǐ.

As we drew near, I saw that the boot lid was up.
10
木头最近经过抛光又恢复了光泽。

mù tóu zuì jìn jīng guò pāo guāng yòu huī fù le guāng zé。

The wood had been recently polished to bring back the shine.

Cultural Notes for 近

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the concept of closeness is significant in relationships, whether familial or platonic. The use of 近 in expressions reflects the value placed on maintaining close ties within the community.

Word Family of 近

Words Containing This Character20
最近zuìjìnrecently
近jìnnear
附近fùjìnnearby
接近jiējìnto approach
靠近kàojìnnear
近日jìnrìrecently
近期jìnqīnear in time
近年来jìnniánláifor the past few years近年來
亲近qīnjìnintimate親近
近来jìnláirecently近來
将近jiāngjìnalmost將近
近几年in recent years近幾年
临近línjìnclose to臨近
近乎close to
走近zǒujìnto approach
近年recent year(s)
贴近tiējìnintimate貼近
逼近bījìnto close in on
相近close
近代jìndàithe not-very-distant past
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 最近 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 近

You can use 近 to indicate closeness, like in '这家餐厅离我家很近' (This restaurant is very close to my home).