近旁 (jìn páng) — nearby; close at hand | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

nearbyclose at hand

Examples

近旁。
Xué xiào jìn páng yǒu yì jiā shū diàn.
There is a bookstore near the school.
近旁，。
Tā zhàn zài wǒ jìn páng, méi yǒu shuō huà.
He stood close by me without speaking.
近旁。
jìn páng De shāng diàn dōu guān mén le.
The nearby shops have all closed.

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 means near and 旁 means side, so 近旁 refers to the nearby side.

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

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.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

方

方fāng旁páng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 旁, 方 is the lower part and gives the sound. The upper part is unclear and may have been part of the meaning.

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