隣

• Reading: となり
• Romaji: tonari
• Kanji breakdown: 隣 (tonari/rin) — next to, neighbouring, adjacent
• Pronunciation: /to.na.ɾi/

Meaning

Next to; adjoining; adjacent. The position directly beside something.

A noun indicating the place or thing immediately adjacent. Used with の to modify nouns (隣の部屋 = the next room) and with に for location (隣に = next to). Refers specifically to things side by side, unlike そば or 近く which indicate general proximity.

Examples

1. 隣の人はとても親切です。 The person next to me is very kind.
2. 私の家の隣に病院があります。 There is a hospital next to my house.
3. 隣の席に座ってもいいですか。 May I sit in the seat next to you?

Usage Guide

Context: position, neighbours, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 隣 contains 阝 (hill/mound radical) and 粦 (a phonetic element), originally meaning 'neighbouring houses along a road.'

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal