近乎 (jìn hu) — to be close to; to approach (in distance, time,…

Definition

Literary 'to approach / almost' — used for degree or state (近乎完美 'almost perfect'), not physical distance. More formal than the colloquial 差不多.

verb

to be close toto approach (in distance, time, or degree)to be almostto border on (a state or quality)

近乎。
Tā de biǎo xiàn jìn hu wán měi.
His performance was nearly perfect.
近乎。
Zhè zhǒng yán sè jìn hu hēi sè.
This color is almost black.
近乎。
Tā jìn hu měi tiān dōu qù tú shū guǎn.
He goes to the library almost every day.

Derived word

构词法gòucífǎ

后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

'近' gives close, and '乎' is a common light element; together '近乎' means close to.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

辶斤近

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辶Written in full as辵chuòwalk

Sound part声符shēngfú

斤

Same sound today

近 combines 辶, a walking radical, with 斤, which gives the sound. The walking part fits the idea of moving close to something.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The old 乎 paired an element for wind or air with 丂, a branch used as a sound part, and was the original form of the word for 'to call; to cry'.

Appears in