# 近

| 近 | U+8FD1, &#36817; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-8FD1 |
| ← 运 [U+8FD0] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 迒 → [U+8FD2] |

## Translingual
### Han character

近 (Kangxi radical 162, 辵+4, 7 strokes, cangjie input 卜竹一中 (YHML), four-corner 3230$_2$, composition ⿺辶斤)

#### Derived characters

* 菦 𠶌 𣷯 𥇐 𨓢

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 1254, character 7
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 38752
* Dae Jaweon: page 1736, character 18
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 6, page 3819, character 12
* Unihan data for U+8FD1

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 近 :
| Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) | Liushutong (compiled in Ming) |
| Small seal script | Transcribed ancient scripts |
| | Old Chinese |
| 蘄 | *ɡɯ, *kɯl, *ɡɯn |
| 祈 | *ɡɯl |
| 頎 | *ɡɯl |
| 旂 | *ɡɯl |
| 圻 | *ɡɯl, *ŋɡɯːn, *ŋɡɯn |
| 蚚 | *ɡɯl, *ɡɯːls |
| 岓 | *ɡɯl |
| 玂 | *ɡɯl |
| 沂 | *ŋɡɯl |
| 掀 | *qʰan |
| 釿 | *ŋɡrɯnʔ, *ŋkɯn |
| 齗 | *ŋɡrɯnʔ, *ŋɡɯn |
| 听 | *ŋɡrɯnʔ, *ŋɡɯnʔ |
| 垽 | *ŋrɯns, *qɯns |
| 斤 | *kɯn, *kɯns |
| 菦 | *kɯnʔ |
| 靳 | *kɯns |
| 劤 | *kɯns |
| 勁 | *kɯns, *keŋs |
| 赾 | *kʰɯnʔ |
| 芹 | *ɡɯn |
| 近 | *ɡɯnʔ, *ɡɯns |
| 斦 | *ŋɡɯn |
| 欣 | *qʰɯn |
| 忻 | *qʰɯn |
| 昕 | *qʰɯn |
| 訢 | *qʰɯn |
| 炘 | *qʰɯn, *qʰɯns |
| 邤 | *qʰɯn |
| 庍 | *qʰɯns, *mpreːɡs |
| 焮 | *qʰɯns |
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *ɡɯnʔ, *ɡɯns): semantic 辶 (“walk”) + phonetic 斤 (OC *kɯn, *kɯns) – to be near something.

### Etymology

Karlgren (1933) relates 近 (OC *ɡɯnʔ, *ɡɯns) to 幾 (OC *kɯl, “imminent”).
近 (OC *ɡɯns, “to come near to; to approach”) is the exoactive/causative derivation of 近 (OC *ɡɯnʔ, “to be near”) (Schuessler, 2007).
Compare Proto-Vietic *t-kəɲ, whence Vietnamese gần (“near”).

### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Standard)
       (Pinyin): jìn (jin$^4$)
       (Zhuyin): ㄐㄧㄣˋ
    (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): jin$^4$
    (Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): jīn
    (Nanjing, Nanjing Pinyin): jīn
    (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): җин (žin, III)
* Cantonese
    (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): kan$^5$ / gan$^6$
    (Dongguan, Jyutping++): gan$^3$
    (Taishan, Wiktionary): kin$^1$ / gin$^5$
    (Yangjiang, Jyutping++): kan$^2$ / gan$^6$
* Gan (Wiktionary): qin$^5$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): khiun / khiûn
    (Hailu, HRS): kiun$^˖$ / kiun$^ˋ$
    (Meixian, Guangdong): kiun$^4$ / kiun$^1$
* Jin (Wiktionary): jing$^3$
* Northern Min (KCR): gṳ̄ing
* Eastern Min (BUC): gê̤ṳng
* Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): gyng$^5$
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): kūn / kǔn / kīn / kǐrn
    (Teochew, Peng'im): geng$^6$ / gêng$^6$ / ging$^6$
    (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): gieng$^6$
* Southern Pinghua (Nanning, Jyutping++): gan$^5$
* Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): $^6$jin
* Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): jin$^5$ / jin$^4$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: jìn
*** Zhuyin: ㄐㄧㄣˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: jìn
*** Wade–Giles: chin$^4$
*** Yale: jìn
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jinn
*** Palladius: цзинь (czinʹ)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡ɕin⁵¹/
** (Chengdu)
*** Sichuanese Pinyin: jin$^4$
*** Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: gin
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡ɕin²¹³/
** (Xi'an)
*** Guanzhong Pinyin: jīn
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡ɕiẽ⁵⁵/
** (Nanjing)
*** Nanjing Pinyin: jīn
*** Nanjing Pinyin (numbered): jin$^4$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡ɕĩ⁴⁴/
** (Dungan)
*** Cyrillic and Wiktionary: җин (žin, III)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡ɕiŋ⁴⁴/
    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: kan$^5$ / gan$^6$
*** Yale: káhn / gahn
*** Cantonese Pinyin: kan$^5$ / gan$^6$
*** Guangdong Romanization: ken$^5$ / gen$^6$
*** Sinological IPA : /kʰɐn¹³/, /kɐn²²/
* kan5 - vernacular;
* gan6 - literary.
* Dialectal data
| Variety | Location | edit近 |
| Mandarin | Beijing | /t͡ɕin⁵¹/ |
| Mandarin | Harbin | /t͡ɕin⁵³/ |
| Mandarin | Tianjin | /t͡ɕin⁵³/ |
| Mandarin | Jinan | /t͡ɕiẽ²¹/ |
| Mandarin | Qingdao | /t͡ɕiə̃⁴²/ |
| Mandarin | Zhengzhou | /t͡ɕin³¹²/ |
| Mandarin | Xi'an | /t͡ɕiẽ⁴⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Xining | /t͡ɕiə̃²¹³/ |
| Mandarin | Yinchuan | /t͡ɕiŋ¹³/ |
| Mandarin | Lanzhou | /t͡ɕĩn¹³/ |
| Mandarin | Ürümqi | /t͡ɕiŋ²¹³/ |
| Mandarin | Wuhan | /t͡ɕin³⁵/ |
| Mandarin | Chengdu | /t͡ɕin¹³/ |
| Mandarin | Guiyang | /t͡ɕin²¹³/ |
| Mandarin | Kunming | /t͡ɕĩ¹/ |
| Mandarin | Nanjing | /t͡ɕin⁴⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Hefei | /t͡ɕin⁵³/ |
| Jin | Taiyuan | /t͡ɕiəŋ⁴⁵/ |
| Jin | Pingyao | /t͡ɕiŋ³⁵/ |
| Jin | Hohhot | /t͡ɕĩŋ⁵⁵/ |
| Wu | Shanghai | /t͡ɕiŋ⁵³/ |
| Wu | Suzhou | /d͡ʑin³¹/ |
| Wu | Hangzhou | /d͡ʑin¹³/ |
| Wu | Wenzhou | /d͡ʑaŋ³⁵/ |
| Hui | Shexian | /t͡ɕʰiʌ̃³⁵/ |
| Hui | Tunxi | /t͡ɕʰin²⁴/ |
| Xiang | Changsha | /t͡ɕin⁵⁵/ /t͡ɕin¹¹/ |
| Xiang | Xiangtan | /d͡ʑin²¹/ |
| Gan | Nanchang | /t͡ɕʰin²¹/ |
| Hakka | Meixian | /kʰiun⁴⁴/ 好～ /kʰiun⁵³/ ～來 |
| Hakka | Taoyuan | /kʰuŋ²⁴/ |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | /kɐn²²/ |
| Cantonese | Nanning | /kʰɐn²⁴/ /kɐn²²/ |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | /kɐn²²/ |
| Min | Xiamen (Hokkien) | /kun²²/ |
| Min | Fuzhou (Eastern Min) | /køyŋ²⁴²/ |
| Min | Jian'ou (Northern Min) | /kyiŋ⁴⁴/ |
| Min | Shantou (Teochew) | /kɯŋ³⁵/ |
| Min | Haikou (Hainanese) | /kin³³/ |
* Middle Chinese: gj+nX, gj+nH
Rime :
| Character | 近 | 近 |
| Reading # | 1/2 | 2/2 |
| Initial (聲) | 群 (30) | 群 (30) |
| Final (韻) | 欣 (57) | 欣 (57) |
| Tone (調) | Rising (X) | Departing (H) |
| Openness (開合) | Open | Open |
| Division (等) | III | III |
| Fanqie | 其謹切 | 巨靳切 |
| Baxter | gj+nX | gj+nH |
| Reconstructions |||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /ɡɨn$^X$/ | /ɡɨn$^H$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /ɡɨn$^X$/ | /ɡɨn$^H$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /ɡiən$^X$/ | /ɡiən$^H$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /gɨn$^X$/ | /gɨn$^H$/ |
| Li Rong | /ɡiən$^X$/ | /ɡiən$^H$/ |
| Wang Li | /ɡĭən$^X$/ | /ɡĭən$^H$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /gi̯ən$^X$/ | /gi̯ən$^H$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | jìn | jìn |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | gan$^6$ | gan$^6$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*N-kərʔ/, /*s-N-kərʔ-s/
    (Zhengzhang): /*ɡɯnʔ/, /*ɡɯns/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 近 | 近 |
| Reading # | 1/2 | 2/2 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | jìn | jìn |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ gjɨn$^X$ › | ‹ gjɨn$^H$ › |
| Old Chinese | /*N-kərʔ/ | /*s-N-kərʔ-s/ |
| English | near | be near to (v.t.) |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. |||
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 近 | 近 |
| Reading # | 1/2 | 2/2 |
| No. | 6659 | 6660 |
| Phonetic component | 斤 | 斤 |
| Rime group | 文 | 文 |
| Rime subdivision | 1 | 1 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 近 | 近 |
| Old Chinese | /*ɡɯnʔ/ | /*ɡɯns/ |

### Definitions

近
* (of distances) near; close
       Zhù yuè jìn yuè róngyì chídào. [Pinyin]
       Those who live closer (to the destination) are more likely to be late.
       ngo$^5$ uk$^1$ kei$^2$ hou$^2$ kan$^5$ hok$^6$ haau$^6$. [Jyutping]
       My home is close to my school.
* (of time) near; close
       Xiànzài lí chūnjié yuè lái yuè jìn le. [Pinyin]
       We are now getting closer to the Chinese New Year.
       gan$^6$ nei$^1$ gei$^2$ nin$^4$ dou$^1$ mou$^5$ mat$^1$ san$^1$ go$^1$ hou$^2$ teng$^1$. [Jyutping]
       There have been few good new songs in the past few years.
* intimate; close (on affectionate terms)
       Bié gēn tā zǒu dé tài jìn. [Pinyin]
       Don't be too close with him.
* to approach; to be close to
    近千人 ― jìn qiān rén ― nearly one thousand people
    年近四十 ― nián jìn sìshí ― approaching forty
    From: 9th century, Li Shangyin, 樂遊原
    Xīyáng wúxiàn hǎo, zhǐshì jìn huánghūn. [Pinyin]
    (please add an English translation of this usage example)
* easy to understand
    淺近／浅近 ― qiǎnjìn ― easy to understand
* (Wenzhounese) to make a profit; to earn

#### Synonyms

* (near; close):
| Variety | Location | Words |
| Classical Chinese | Classical Chinese | 近, 邇 |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 近 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 近 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 近 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Malaysia | 近 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 近 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 近 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Luoyang | 近 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Wanrong | 近 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 近 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 近 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 近 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guilin | 近 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 近 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Hefei | 近 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 近 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 近 |
| Cantonese | Yangjiang | 近 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 近 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 近 |
| Gan | Lichuan | 近 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 近 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 近 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 近 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 近 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 近 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 近 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 近 |
| Huizhou | Jixi | 近 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 近 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 近 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 近 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 近 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 近 |
| Southern Min | Jinjiang | 近 |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 近 |
| Southern Min | New Taipei (Sanxia) | 近 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung | 近 |
| Southern Min | Yilan | 近 |
| Southern Min | Changhua (Lukang) | 近 |
| Southern Min | Taichung | 近 |
| Southern Min | Tainan | 近 |
| Southern Min | Hsinchu | 近 |
| Southern Min | Kinmen | 近 |
| Southern Min | Penghu (Magong) | 近 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 近 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 近 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 近 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 近 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 近 |
| Southern Min | Haikou | 近 |
| Puxian Min | Putian | 近 |
| Puxian Min | Putian (Donghai, Chengxiang) | 近 |
| Puxian Min | Putian (Jiangkou, Hanjiang) | 近 |
| Puxian Min | Putian (Nanri, Xiuyu) | 近 |
| Puxian Min | Xianyou | 近 |
| Puxian Min | Xianyou (Fengting) | 近 |
| Puxian Min | Xianyou (Youyang) | 近 |
| Southern Pinghua | Nanning (Tingzi) | 近 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 近 |
| Wu | Danyang | 近 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 近 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 近 |
| Xiang | Shuangfeng | 近 |
* (intimate):
* 同衾 (tóngqīn) (literary, figuratively)
* 周密 (zhōumì) (literary, of dealings)
* 密切 (mìqiè)
* 接近 (jiējìn)
* 火熱 / 火热 (huǒrè)
* 熱和 / 热和 (rèhuo) (colloquial)
* 熱火 / 热火 (rèhuǒ) (colloquial)
* 知心 (zhīxīn)
* 緊密 / 紧密 (jǐnmì)
* 親切 / 亲切 (qīnqiè)
* 親善 / 亲善 (qīnshàn) (of relations between countries)
* 親密 / 亲密 (qīnmì)
* 親熱 / 亲热 (qīnrè)
* 親近 / 亲近 (qīnjìn)
* 貼己 / 贴己 (tiējǐ)
* 貼身 / 贴身 (tiēshēn)
* 近乎 (jìnhu) (colloquial)
* 過心 / 过心 (guòxīn) (regional)
* 體己 / 体己

### Compounds

* 不近人情 (bùjìn-rénqíng)
* 不近情理
* 不遠不近 / 不远不近
* 中近景
* 假性近視 / 假性近视
* 傅近 (fùjìn)
* 最近 (zuìjìn)
* 凡近
* 切近 (qièjìn)
* 四近
* 大近視眼 / 大近视眼
* 套近乎 (tàojìnhū)
* 將近 / 将近 (jiāngjìn)
* 就近 (jiùjìn)
* 左近 (zuǒjìn)
* 平易近人 (píngyìjìnrén)
* 平易近民
* 年近古稀
* 年近花甲
* 急功近利 (jígōngjìnlì)
* 急功近名
* 性情相近
* 思深語近 / 思深语近
* 恤近忽遠 / 恤近忽远
* 悅近來遠 / 悦近来远
* 愛遠惡近 / 爱远恶近
* 抄近路 (chāo jìnlù)
* 拉近
* 拉近乎
* 挨近 (āijìn)
* 接近 (jiējìn)
* 捨近務遠 / 舍近务远
* 捨近即遠 / 舍近即远
* 捨近求遠 / 舍近求远 (shějìnqiúyuǎn)
* 料遠若近 / 料远若近
* 新近 (xīnjìn)
* 方近
* 晚近
* 淺近 / 浅近 (qiǎnjìn)
* 湊近 / 凑近 (còujìn)
* 漸近 / 渐近 (jiànjìn)
* 相近 (xiāngjìn)
* 短視近利 / 短视近利
* 能近取譬
* 臨近 / 临近 (línjìn)
* 舍近謀遠 / 舍近谋远
* 要近
* 親疏遠近 / 亲疏远近
* 親近 / 亲近 (qīnjìn)
* 言近指遠 / 言近指远
* 言近旨遠 / 言近旨远
* 貴近 / 贵近
* 貼近 / 贴近 (tiējìn)
* 貴遠賤近 / 贵远贱近
* 貴遠鄙近 / 贵远鄙近
* 走近 (zǒujìn)
* 身遠心近 / 身远心近
* 近上
* 近世 (jìnshì)
* 近世史
* 近乎
* 近人 (jìnrén)
* 近代 (jìndài)
* 近似 (jìnsì)
* 近作 (jìnzuò)
* 近似值 (jìnsìzhí)
* 近侍 (jìnshì)
* 近來 / 近来 (jìnlái)
* 近便 (jìnbiàn)
* 近傍
* 近前 (jìnqián)
* 近古 (jìngǔ)
* 近名
* 近因 (jìnyīn)
* 近在咫尺 (jìnzàizhǐchǐ)
* 近在眉睫
* 近在眼前
* 近年 (jìnnián)
* 近思錄 / 近思录
* 近悅遠來 / 近悦远来
* 近情
* 近情近理
* 近憂 / 近忧 (jìnyōu)
* 近房
* 近攝鏡頭 / 近摄镜头
* 近支
* 近新來 / 近新来
* 近旁 (jìnpáng)
* 近日 (jìnrì)
* 近日點 / 近日点 (jìnrìdiǎn)
* 近景
* 近期 (jìnqī)
* 近朱近墨
* 近東 / 近东 (Jìndōng)
* 近歲 / 近岁
* 近水樓臺 / 近水楼台 (jìnshuǐlóutái)
* 近況 / 近况 (jìnkuàng)
* 近海 (jìnhǎi)
* 近海漁業 / 近海渔业
* 近火先燋
* 近焦攝影 / 近焦摄影
* 近理 (jìnlǐ)
* 近甸
* 近畿 (jìnjī)
* 近視 / 近视 (jìnshì)
* 近視眼 / 近视眼 (jìnshìyǎn)
* 近程目標 / 近程目标
* 近習 / 近习
* 近臣 (jìnchén)
* 近處 / 近处 (jìnchù)
* 近親 / 近亲 (jìnqīn)
* 近觀 / 近观
* 近郊 (jìnjiāo)
* 近郊農業 / 近郊农业
* 近鄉情怯 / 近乡情怯
* 近鄰 / 近邻 (jìnlín)
* 近體詩 / 近体诗 (jìntǐshī)
* 迫近 (pòjìn)
* 週近 / 周近
* 逼近 (bījìn)
* 道近易從 / 道近易从
* 遠交近攻 / 远交近攻 (yuǎnjiāojìngōng)
* 遠愁近慮 / 远愁近虑
* 遠近 / 远近 (yuǎnjìn)
* 遠近知名 / 远近知名
* 遠近聞名 / 远近闻名
* 遠近馳名 / 远近驰名 (yuǎnjìnchímíng)
* 鄙近
* 鄰近 / 邻近 (línjìn)
* 鄰近色 / 邻近色
* 附近 (fùjìn)
* 靠近 (kàojìn)
* 鞭辟近裡
* 馳名遠近 / 驰名远近

### Further reading

* “Entry #4504”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2025.

## Japanese

| Shinjitai | 近 |
| Kyūjitai | 近󠄁 近+&#xE0101; (Adobe-Japan1) |
| Kyūjitai | 近󠄃 近+&#xE0103; (Hanyo-Denshi) (Moji_Joho) |
| The displayed kanji may be different from the image due to your environment. See here for details. |||

### Kanji

(Second grade kyōiku kanji)
* near, close

#### Readings

* Go-on: ごん (gon)
* Kan-on: きん (kin, Jōyō)
* Kan’yō-on: こん (kon)
* Kun: ちかい (chikai, 近い, Jōyō)、ちかしい (chikashii, 近しい)、ちかづく (chikazuku, 近づく)、ちかづける (chikazukeru, 近づける)

### Proper noun

近(こん) • (Kon)
* a surname

### References

* ↑ “近”, in 漢字ぺディア [Kanjipedia]‎ (in Japanese), The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, 2015–2025

## Korean
### Hanja

近 (eumhun 가까울 근 (gakkaul geun))
* hanja form of 근 (“near; close”)

#### Compounds

* 최근 (最近, choegeun, “the most recent”)
* 근처 (近處, geuncheo, “neighborhood; vicinity; the nearby area”)

## Vietnamese
### Han character

近: Hán Nôm readings: cận, cặn, gàn, gần
* Chữ Hán form of cận (“close; nearby”).