近处 (jìn chǔ) — nearby places, vicinity

Definition

noun
nearby placesvicinity

Examples

  • 近处，。
    Cóng jìn chǔ kàn, zhè zuò shān hěn měi.
    From nearby, this mountain looks very beautiful.
  • 近处，。
    jìn chǔ Yǒu yì jiā chāo shì, mǎi dōng xī hěn fāng biàn.
    There is a supermarket nearby, so shopping is very convenient.
  • 近处，。
    Tā zhù zài jìn chǔ, zǒu lù jiù néng dào.
    He lives nearby, so you can walk there.

Origin

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.

近jìnnear
处chùplace

近 (near) plus 处 (place) gives a nearby area.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
斤
斤jīn近jìn
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.

Open 近 →

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 處; 处 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
夂夂zhǐ
几几jǐtable
Sound part声符shēngfú
虍
虍hū處chǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 處 pairs 虍, giving the sound, with 夂 and 几, a table, as meaning parts. The simplified 处 is a shorthand and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 处 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.