近い
chikai[t͡ɕi̥ka̠i]
The English word 'near' can be expressed in Japanese as 近い (chikai).
近い is used to describe being in close proximity in terms of physical space or abstract concepts such as time or relationships. To indicate existence, such as 'there is a convenience store nearby', you can use the phrase 近くにコンビニがある. When you want to describe a specific noun, such as a 'nearby park', you can use the form 近くの.
Meaning: in close proximity to (prep)
Which one should you use?
近い (chikai) is used as a predicate to say that something 'is near', whereas the adverbial form 近く (chikaku) is used to say something is 'near [a place]'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
近い is an i-adjective used to describe the state of being near in space or time. The related form 近く (chikaku) functions as an adverb to describe an action happening near a place or can be used to modify a noun as 'nearby'.
How do you pronounce it?
chikai
Did you know?
- In Japanese, a 'near miss' is not described by distance but by the word 間一髪 (kan-ippatsu), which literally means 'a single strand of hair'.
- When talking about a 'near' victory or defeat, Japanese speakers often use 惜しい (oshii), which describes the feeling of regret rather than the distance to the goal.
- While 近い describes distance, if you want to say a person is 'close' to you in a way that implies intimacy or familiarity, you would typically use 親しい (shitashii) instead.
Examples in context
- 病院はここから近い。The hospital is near here.This sentence shows how to use 近い to describe the distance to a hospital.Tatoeba #85333 by bunbuku, translation #318380 by CK
- 私の家は駅から近い。My house is near the station.This sentence uses 近い to describe the distance from a house to a station.Tatoeba #163973 by bunbuku, translation #250537 by CK
- 映画館は駅から近いの？Is the movie theater near the station?This sentence is a question using 近い to ask about the distance to a movie theater.Tatoeba #3850777 by tommy_san, translation #4564210 by CK
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Himari and Hinata are looking for a cafe near the station.
- 陽葵 Himari陽太くん、いいカフェ知らない？Hinata-kun, ii kafe shiranai?Hinata, do you know any good cafes?
- 陽太 Yota駅の近くに新しいお店があるよ。Eki no chikaku ni atarashii omise ga aru yo.There is a new shop near the station.
- 陽葵 Himariそこはここから近いかな？Soko wa koko kara chikai kana?I wonder if it's near here?
- 陽太 Yotaうん、歩いてすぐだよ。Un, aruite sugu da yo.Yeah, it's a quick walk.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 近い, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
