近邻 (jìn lín) — close neighbor, nearby neighbor

Definition

noun

close neighbornearby neighbor

Measure word · 个

近邻。
Wǒ men hé jìn lín de guān xì fēi cháng hǎo.
We have a very good relationship with our close neighbor.
近邻。
Tā shì yí wèi hěn yǒu shàn de jìn lín.
He is a very friendly neighbor.
，近邻。
Wǒ bān zǒu le, dàn hái huì jīng cháng hé yǐ qián de jìn lín lián xì.
I moved away, but I still keep in touch with my former close neighbor.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

邻línneighbor

近 gives nearness, and 邻 gives a neighbor; together they mean a close or nearby neighbor.

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.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 鄰; 邻 is its simplified writing.

粦阝鄰

Meaning part形符xíngfú

阝Written in full as邑yì

Sound part声符shēngfú

粦

粦lín鄰lín

Same sound today

The traditional form 鄰 pairs 粦 (lín) as the sound part with 阝 (the full form 邑, a settlement) as the meaning part; 邻 is a simplified shorthand.