ChiramiN4 kanji · 7 strokes
近 means near
近
斤 axe · 辶 road
近Memory trick
Just an axe's (斤) throw down the road: near.
Memory trick: a picture to help you remember the kanji, not its history.
Meaning and readings
- Meanings
- near, early, akin, tantamount
- JLPT level
- N4
- Strokes
- 7
- School grade
- Grade 2 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) ちかい chikai
ちかい (chikai) is the Japanese word for this kanji. You use it when the kanji stands alone or has kana after it. Dictionaries call this the kun reading.
From Chinese (onyomi) キン kin
キン (kin) came from Chinese with the character. You mostly hear it in words made of several kanji. Dictionaries call this the on reading.
Other readings from Chinese: コン kon
Tap a reading to see when it's used. Why kanji have two kinds of reading: onyomi vs kunyomi.
Common word
近い ちかい · chikai
near, close
Built from
Tap a part to see the N5 and N4 kanji that use it.
斤 Used in 29 kanji
See all 4 at N5 and N4辶 Used in 56 kanji
See all 8 at N5 and N4Quick check
What does 近 mean?
Right: 近 means near.Not quite: 近 means near.In 近い, which reading does 近 use?
Right. 近い is read ちかい (chikai): 近 takes ちか, its Japanese reading, with い after it.Not quite. 近い is read ちかい (chikai): 近 takes ちか, its Japanese reading, with い after it.