近

Near

ちか(い) (chikai)

JLPT N4

Interesting Fact

🏮 In Kyoto's historic Gion district, centuries-old wooden houses stand so close together that neighbors can easily greet each other across the narrow lanes. Walking these intimate streets feels like stepping back into old Japan, where everyone lived close to one another.

Memory Trick

🪓 The left side looks like 斤 (axe) and the bottom-left is the walking radical (⻌). Picture an axe taking a walk. It's trying to get "close" to the forest before starting work.