将近

• Pinyin: jiāng jìn
• Hanzi breakdown: 将 = 爿 (bed/plank) + 寸 (inch/hand) — to bring forward, about to; 近 = 辶 (movement) + 斤 (axe, phonetic) — near, close

Meaning

Close to; nearly; almost. An adverb used to indicate that a quantity or time is approaching but has not yet reached a certain point.

将近 is used before numbers and time expressions to indicate approximation just below a threshold. It differs from 几乎 (almost, in a more general sense) and 快要 (about to, referring to imminent action) by focusing specifically on quantities or measurements that are close to but not yet at a figure. Common structures: 将近 + number + measure word.

Examples

1. 这本书将近三百页，内容非常丰富。 This book is close to three hundred pages and has very rich content.
2. 他在这家公司工作了将近十年。 He has worked at this company for nearly ten years.
3. 音乐会上将近两千名观众。 There were nearly two thousand audience members at the concert.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, statistics, description, time

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 这次活动将近有五百人参加。(Nearly five hundred people attended this event.)
• 他学中文将近三年了。(He has been learning Chinese for close to three years.)

Don't Say

• 我将近吃完了。(Don't use 将近 with action verbs to mean 'almost done' — use 快要...了 or 几乎. 将近 is specifically for quantities and measurements.)

Origin & History

Compound of 将 (about to, approaching) and 近 (near, close). Together they mean 'approaching nearness' — getting close to but not quite reaching a particular number or point.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal