closeness
closeness — 名詞
1. the state of being only a short distance apart in physical space or separated by
靠近；鄰近
空間或時間上距離短
the state of being only a short distance apart in physical space or separated by a brief period in time, so that people, places, or events are easily reachable from one another.
The closeness of the two villages meant that the children could walk to school together every morning.
這兩個村莊彼此靠近，孩子們每天早上可以一起走路去上學。
closeness + of: spatial nearness between places
The closeness of the deadlines meant Noa had to finish both reports in a single week.
由於截止日期很近，Noa 必須在一週內完成兩份報告。
closeness + of: temporal nearness between events
The apartment's closeness to the metro station was the main reason Yara chose to rent it.
這間公寓靠近地鐵站，是 Yara 決定租下來的主要原因。
Hikers valued the closeness of the cabins, which let them reach shelter before the storm hit.
登山客很珍惜這幾間小屋之間距離近，讓他們可以在風暴來臨前抵達避難處。
- distance
the direct opposite in both spatial and temporal senses
- remoteness
emphasises inaccessibility rather than mere distance
文法句型
closeness + of + noun phrase
用法筆記
Unlike 'proximity', which is neutral and formal, 'closeness' often carries a nuance of convenience or benefit arising from the short distance. Also common in temporal contexts ('the closeness of the two holidays').
常見錯誤
2. the quality of a relationship in which two or more people know each other deeply
親密；親近
彼此了解且感情深厚
the quality of a relationship in which two or more people know each other deeply, care about each other's feelings, and share honest communication — for example, between close friends, family members, or long-time teammates.
The closeness between the two sisters grew even stronger after they moved in together.
這對姊妹之間的親密感在她們搬去同住之後變得更加深厚。
closeness + between: mutual emotional bond
Rashida valued the closeness she had with her grandmother, who had always listened without judging.
Rashida 很珍惜她和祖母之間的親近，因為祖母總是耐心傾聽，從不批評。
closeness + with: one-directional relational bond
After years of working side by side, the nurses developed a closeness that felt like family.
並肩工作了多年之後，這幾位護理師之間發展出一種親如家人的情感。
The group's closeness was obvious at the reunion — everyone laughed and cried together freely.
這個團體的親密感在聚會上顯而易見——大家自由地一起又笑又哭。
Some people find it hard to handle the closeness of a romantic relationship and prefer more personal space.
有些人覺得難以承受戀愛關係中的親密感，寧可保有較多的個人空間。
- intimacy
stronger connotation of romantic or very deep personal connection
- bond
can be countable; emphasises the unifying force between people
- affection
focuses on the feeling of fondness rather than the quality of the relationship itself
- familiarity
emphasises knowing someone well, but may lack the emotional warmth of 'closeness'
- distance
emotional distance or formality between people
- estrangement
stronger — implies a breakdown or loss of closeness that once existed
文法句型
closeness + between + noun phrase
closeness + with + noun phrase
用法筆記
Can be modified by 'emotional' for added clarity. When used with 'between', the closeness is mutual; with 'with', it may describe one person's perspective in the relationship. Contrast with sense 1: here 'closeness' describes an emotional distance of zero, not a physical one.
常見錯誤
3. the uncomfortable quality of a room, building, or outdoor environment where the
悶熱；不通風
空氣沉滯且令人不適
the uncomfortable quality of a room, building, or outdoor environment where the air is warm, heavy, and does not move freely, making it hard to breathe easily.
The closeness of the attic made the children feel dizzy after only ten minutes of playing.
閣樓裡非常悶熱，孩子們才玩了十分鐘就感到頭暈。
closeness + of: describing stuffy indoor spaces
Aiko could not stand the closeness of the crowded train carriage during the summer rush hour.
Aiko 受不了夏季尖峰時段擁擠火車車廂的那種悶熱。
The closeness of the weather that afternoon told everyone a thunderstorm was about to break.
那天下午天氣很悶，每個人都知道雷雨即將到來。
Opening both windows slowly relieved the closeness of the small meeting room.
打開兩扇窗戶後，小會議室裡的悶熱感慢慢消散了。
- stuffiness
more concrete and everyday; specifically about lack of fresh air
- mugginess
focuses on humidity rather than poor ventilation
- oppressiveness
stronger, literary; describes the heavy, uncomfortable feeling of the air
- freshness
cool, clean-moving air; the opposite feeling
- ventilation
functional opposite — the movement of air that prevents closeness
文法句型
closeness + of + air/atmosphere/weather
用法筆記
This sense is often used with the definite article ('the closeness') followed by 'of' and a noun describing the space or environment. Unlike senses 1 and 2, which are broadly common across registers, sense 3 is less frequent and more common in descriptive or literary writing about weather or indoor conditions.