near
near — 動詞
1. to move closer to a particular place, moment, or condition, with the sense that
靠近
朝目標或時間靠近
to move closer to a particular place, moment, or condition, with the sense that arrival or completion is about to happen
The rescue team neared the village as the sun began to set.
太陽開始下山時，救援隊靠近了村莊。
transitive: near + noun phrase (destination)
As graduation neared, Rin felt both excited and nervous.
畢業典禮將近，Rin 既興奮又緊張。
intransitive: [time event] nears
Heloísa's research project is nearing completion after three years of work.
Heloísa 的研究計畫經過三年的努力，即將接近完成。
The storm was nearing, so Obi closed all the windows and brought in the chairs.
暴風雨逐漸逼近，Obi 關上所有的窗戶，把椅子搬進屋裡。
Christopher is nearing his sixtieth birthday and plans a big celebration.
Christopher 即將迎來六十歲生日，他計劃好好慶祝一番。
- approach
most direct synonym; slightly more formal in tone
- draw close to
more descriptive and literary; often used with time events
- close in on
suggests surrounding or pursuing something
文法句型
near + noun phrase (transitive)
near (intransitive: [event/time] nears)
用法筆記
Often used in progressive tenses (is nearing, were nearing). More common in written English than in casual conversation, where 'get close to' or 'approach' are frequently used instead.
常見錯誤
near — 形容詞
1. describing something that is a short distance away from a place, or that is extr
近的；接近的
距離短或程度接近
describing something that is a short distance away from a place, or that is extremely close to a particular state or quality — for example, the nearest house to yours, or a near disaster that almost happened.
Nadia checked the map to find the nearest petrol station.
Nadia 查看地圖，想找最近的加油站。
superlative: the nearest + place noun
The goalkeeper's save was a near miss — the ball flew past the post by centimetres.
守門員的撲救差一點就成功了——球從門柱旁幾公分處飛過。
collocation: near miss
Asher took the nearer seat so he could see the board more clearly.
Asher 選了較近的座位，這樣可以更清楚地看到黑板。
After the storm, the village was left in near-total silence for hours.
暴風雨過後，村莊陷入幾乎完全的寂靜，持續了好幾個小時。
The nearest supermarket is about two blocks from Lauren's apartment.
離 Lauren 的公寓最近的超市大約只有兩個街區的距離。
文法句型
near + noun (attributive)
the nearest + noun (superlative)
near + adjective (for degree)
用法筆記
Superlative nearest is much more common than base near when referring to physical distance. As an attributive adjective, near often combines with abstract nouns that describe events or states (miss, disaster, silence, certainty).
常見錯誤
2. used of family members who share a direct blood connection, such as parents, chi
近親的
有直接血緣關係的
used of family members who share a direct blood connection, such as parents, children, or siblings, rather than distant cousins or relatives by marriage.
Hassan invited only his near relatives to the wedding ceremony.
Hassan 只邀請了近親參加婚禮。
attributive: near relatives
The hospital asked Devika to list her near relatives for the emergency contact form.
醫院要求 Devika 列出近親作為緊急聯絡人。
Estate tax rules are often different for near relatives than for distant cousins.
遺產稅的規定通常對近親和遠房親戚有所不同。
Paul's near relatives include his parents, his older sister, and his two younger brothers.
Paul 的近親包括他的父母、姊姊以及兩個弟弟。
- distant
used for relatives who are not closely related by blood
文法句型
near + relative / relation / family member noun
用法筆記
Only used attributively before nouns — you cannot say 'My aunt is near' to mean she is a close relative. The phrase near relative is fixed; near kin or near family member also occur but are less common.
常見錯誤
3. happening or expected in a very short period of time from the present moment, es
不久的
即將到來的時間
happening or expected in a very short period of time from the present moment, especially in the coming days, weeks, or months.
The company plans to open a new office in the near future.
這家公司計劃在不久的將來開設新辦事處。
collocation: in the near future
Vinícius hopes to visit his family in Brazil in the near future.
Vinícius 希望在不久的將來回巴西探望家人。
No major changes to the school timetable are expected in the near future.
學校的課表在近期內預計不會有重大變動。
The manager said the near-term outlook for sales looked very promising.
經理表示，近期的銷售前景看起來相當樂觀。
Aylin decided to keep her current job for the near future and delay the move.
Aylin 決定在短期內繼續留任目前的工作，並推遲搬家的計畫。
- imminent
more formal; suggests something is about to happen very soon, often urgently
- upcoming
neutral, common; can replace near but not in the fixed phrase 'the near future'
- forthcoming
slightly formal; focuses on something expected to happen
文法句型
the near future
near term
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the fixed phrases the near future and near term (often hyphenated as near-term before a noun). Unlike sense 1, this sense cannot be used in comparative or superlative forms — you cannot say 'nearer future' or 'nearest future'.
常見錯誤
near — 副詞
1. at or to a place that is only a short distance away from someone or something; n
附近
距離不遠的位置
at or to a place that is only a short distance away from someone or something; not far from where the speaker is.
Sana lives quite near, so she can walk to our house in about ten minutes.
Sana 住得很近，走路到我們家大概只要十分鐘。
quite near for describing short distance
Obi could hear voices near and looked out the window to see who was there.
Obi 聽到附近有人聲，便往窗外看是誰在那裡。
The nearest bus stop is very near — just around the corner from the shop.
最近的公車站非常近，就在商店轉角處。
Rin pulled her chair nearer to the desk so she could reach the keyboard.
Rin 把椅子拉近桌子，以便能夠到鍵盤。
When Christopher called, his cat came running near and rubbed against his leg.
Christopher 一叫，他的貓就跑到他身邊，蹭著他的腿。
文法句型
be + near
come / get / draw + near
near + enough
用法筆記
Commonly combined with verbs of position or motion such as 'be', 'live', 'come', 'draw', 'stand', or 'move'.
常見錯誤
2. at or to a point in time that is not far away; close enough that something will
臨近
時間上逐漸靠近
at or to a point in time that is not far away; close enough that something will happen soon.
As the final exams drew near, Bao spent every evening reviewing his notes.
期末考將近，Bao 每天晚上都在複習筆記。
draw + near for approaching events or deadlines
Layla felt her heart race as her wedding day grew near.
婚禮的日子越來越近，Layla 感到心跳加速。
The deadline for the project is getting near, so the team is working overtime.
專案的截止期限快到了，團隊成員正在加班趕工。
When spring came near, the trees in the garden began to bloom again.
春天來臨時，花園裡的樹木又開始綻放花朵。
Aarav knew the bus was near when he heard the engine rumble down the street.
Aarav 聽到引擎轟隆隆地駛近，就知道公車快到了。
- far off
indicates a distant future time
文法句型
draw / get / grow + near
be + near
用法筆記
Commonly paired with the verbs 'draw', 'get', and 'grow' to express that a point in time is approaching. Less commonly used with 'be' ('the time is near').
常見錯誤
3. indicating that someone or something almost reaches a specified situation or qua
近乎
幾乎處於某種狀態
indicating that someone or something almost reaches a specified situation or quality but falls just short of it — used before adjectives, and before 'to' + a verb to show that something nearly happened.
After climbing the mountain for six hours, Lara was near dead with tiredness.
連續爬了六小時的山後，Lara 累得幾乎虛脫。
near + adjective describing an extreme state
The glass fell near to breaking but landed safely on the soft carpet.
玻璃杯差點就要摔破，但最後安全落在柔軟的地毯上。
near to + verb-ing for nearly happening events
Amani's dance performance was near perfect and earned her a standing ovation.
Amani 的舞蹈表演近乎完美，贏得了全場起立鼓掌。
The old cottage was near collapse after the storm damaged its roof.
暴風雨摧毀了屋頂後，那間老舊的小屋幾乎要倒塌了。
The rescue team came near to giving up when they heard a voice from the rubble.
搜救隊差點就要放棄了，這時他們聽到了廢墟中傳來的聲音。
文法句型
near + adjective
near + past participle
near to + verb-ing
用法筆記
When followed by an adjective, the adjective typically describes an extreme condition (dead, perfect, impossible, complete). When followed by 'to' + a gerund, it describes an action that was very close to happening.
常見錯誤
4. used with 'nowhere' or 'not anywhere' to stress that something falls very far sh
差得遠
遠非；完全不是
used with 'nowhere' or 'not anywhere' to stress that something falls very far short of some measure — whether of space, duration, amount, or character — often before a comparative or a descriptive adjective.
Henry's first attempt at baking was nowhere near as good as his grandmother's.
Henry 第一次嘗試烘焙的成果，遠不如他奶奶做的那麼好。
nowhere near + as + adjective + as for comparison
The hotel we booked was not anywhere near the beautiful photos on the website.
我們訂的飯店，遠遠不如網站上那些美照所呈現的樣子。
Zola's score on the test was nowhere near high enough to pass the class.
Zola 的考試分數遠遠不夠通過這門課。
The museum renovation is nowhere near finished — workers still need three more months.
博物館的翻新工程還遠未完成——工人們還需要三個月的時間。
Dylan's explanation was nowhere near clear enough for the new students to follow.
Dylan 的解釋遠遠不夠清楚，新生們根本聽不懂。
- far from
less emphatic than 'nowhere near'; works in neutral and negative contexts
- not nearly
similar meaning but less dramatic; 'not nearly enough' vs 'nowhere near enough'
- close to
the affirmative counterpart
文法句型
nowhere near + comparative/adjective/noun
not anywhere near + comparative/adjective/noun
用法筆記
Almost always appears in negative constructions. 'Nowhere near' is more common than 'not anywhere near'. The phrase cannot be used in affirmative sentences ('somewhere near' has a different meaning).
常見錯誤
5. almost reaching a particular number, amount, or measurement — used before figure
將近
將近某個數量
almost reaching a particular number, amount, or measurement — used before figures, quantities, and measures to show the actual value is slightly less.
The stadium can hold near 50,000 fans on a busy match day.
這個體育場在比賽日可以容納將近五萬名球迷。
near + specific number to indicate approximate quantity
Rafael had been waiting near an hour before the doctor finally called his name.
Rafael 等了將近一個小時，醫師才終於叫到他的名字。
The temperature outside reached near 38 degrees by early afternoon.
到了下午時分，室外氣溫飆升到將近攝氏三十八度。
Ari spent near three years travelling through Southeast Asia after university.
Ari 大學畢業後在東南亞旅行了將近三年。
The repair work cost near $2,000, which was more than the family had expected.
維修費用將近兩千美元，比這家人預期的要多。
- well over
indicates a quantity clearly above the stated number
文法句型
near + number
near + quantity noun phrase
用法筆記
This sense is typical of informal written and spoken English. In formal writing, 'nearly' or 'almost' is preferred. The adverb directly precedes the number or quantity word — no preposition is needed.
常見錯誤
near — 字首
1. attached before another word with a hyphen to create a compound that means somet
近乎；接近
附在形容詞或名詞前，表示幾乎
attached before another word with a hyphen to create a compound that means something is almost but not completely in that state — for example, a near-perfect score is almost perfect, and a near-collapse situation is one that has almost fallen apart.
The orchestra gave a near-perfect performance and the audience cheered for minutes.
那支管弦樂團的演出近乎完美，觀眾歡呼了好幾分鐘。
near-perfect + noun (performance / result / score)
Many survivors of the earthquake described their near-death experiences in interviews.
許多地震倖存者在訪談中描述了自己瀕死的經驗。
near-death + noun (experience / moment)
The typhoon caused near-total destruction of the small fishing village.
颱風對這個小漁村造成了近乎徹底的破壞。
Climbing the mountain in winter seemed near-impossible without the right gear.
在冬天如果沒有合適裝備，要登上那座山幾乎是不可能的。
By the time help arrived, the old bridge was already in a state of near-collapse.
等到救援抵達時，那座舊橋已經處於瀕臨崩塌的狀態。
文法句型
near- + [adjective]
near- + [noun]
用法筆記
Always written with a hyphen before the adjective or noun it attaches to. Not used as a standalone word in this sense.
常見錯誤
near — 介系詞
1. with very little space between a person, place, or thing and another — for examp
靠近
空間距離短
with very little space between a person, place, or thing and another — for example, living near the school, or standing near the window.
The old library is near the train station on Main Street.
舊圖書館靠近火車站，就在主街上。
near + building/place name
Sade lives near a small park where children play every afternoon.
Sade 住在一個小公園附近，孩子們每天下午都在那裡玩。
We found a nice café near the river with outdoor tables.
我們在河邊找到了一間有戶外座位的不錯咖啡館。
The bus stop near our school is always crowded at three o'clock.
我們學校附近的公車站三點鐘總是很擁擠。
Otis parked his car near the entrance so his grandmother could walk less.
Otis 把車停在入口附近，這樣他祖母可以少走一點路。
- far from
indicates a large distance between two things
文法句型
near + noun phrase (place/location)
2. a short period before a specific time, event, or deadline — for example, near mi
臨近
時間接近某時點
a short period before a specific time, event, or deadline — for example, near midnight meaning a few minutes before midnight.
The shops close near nine o'clock in this small town.
這個小鎮的商店在將近九點的時候關門。
near + clock time
Karim always feels nervous near exam week at university.
Karim 在大學考試週前夕總是感到緊張。
The garden looks beautiful near sunset when the light turns golden.
臨近日落時，花園在金色光線下顯得很美。
Near the end of the film, everyone in the cinema was crying.
電影快到結尾時，電影院裡每個人都在哭。
Ryo buys his train ticket near the holiday season to avoid crowds.
Ryo 在假期前夕買火車票，以避開人潮。
- close to
interchangeable for temporal proximity: 'close to midnight'
- just before
more precise, implies a very short gap
- well after
long past a given time
文法句型
near + time noun (midnight, Christmas, the end)
用法筆記
Unlike adverb sense 2 ('The exam is near'), this preposition sense always takes a noun object — you say 'near the exam' not 'near exam' as a standalone comment. Distinguish from prep/1: 'near the station' is about distance (sense 1), 'near the hour of closing' is about time (sense 2).
常見錯誤
3. placed before a quantity or figure to show that the actual amount is close but n
將近
數量大約接近
placed before a quantity or figure to show that the actual amount is close but not exact — for example, near fifty dollars means approximately fifty dollars.
The renovation cost near fifty thousand dollars in total.
翻修費用總共將近五萬美元。
near + cost/price
Gabriel has lived in Japan for near thirty years now.
Gabriel 在日本住了將近三十年。
Near two hundred people attended the community meeting last night.
將近兩百人參加了昨晚的社區會議。
The temperature reached near forty degrees yesterday afternoon.
昨天下午的氣溫將近四十度。
- approximately
more formal; always interchangeable
- roughly
similar register to 'near'; implies a wider range
- about
the most common and neutral alternative
- exactly
precisely that amount, not approximately
文法句型
near + number (age, cost, quantity, temperature)
用法筆記
Slightly less formal than 'approximately' or 'roughly'. Common in spoken English and informal writing. Do not confuse with preposition sense 7 ('near the truth' — meaning close in accuracy).
4. resembling someone or something in degree, standard, or characteristic — for exa
接近
特質或水準相似
resembling someone or something in degree, standard, or characteristic — for example, a fabric that feels near silk, or a score near the world record.
This fabric feels near silk but it is actually a synthetic material.
這種布料手感接近絲綢，但其實是合成材質。
Élise's cooking skills are near those of a professional chef now.
Élise 的烹飪技術現在已接近專業廚師的水準。
near + pronoun (those) + of-phrase
The copy's colours are near the original painting but slightly duller.
複製品的顏色接近原畫，但稍微暗淡一些。
No other runner in the race came near her speed on the final lap.
比賽中沒有其他跑者能在最後一圈追上她的速度。
- close to
interchangeable: 'close to the original'
- comparable to
slightly more formal; often used in comparisons
- akin to
more literary; emphasises inherent similarity
- unlike
not similar at all
文法句型
near + noun phrase (standard of comparison)
用法筆記
Often used negatively to show that nothing else reaches the same level: 'nothing comes near it.' The phrase 'come near' or 'get near' is a common collocation in this sense.
5. close to reaching a particular condition or state, often a negative or extreme o
瀕臨
即將進入某種狀態
close to reaching a particular condition or state, often a negative or extreme one — for example, near tears meaning almost crying, or near collapse meaning about to fall down.
The old building was near collapse after the earthquake shook the town.
地震過後，那棟老舊建築瀕臨倒塌。
near + noun of state (collapse, death, tears)
Hao was near tears when he heard the sad news about his dog.
Hao 聽到關於他的狗的不幸消息時，差點落淚。
The company came near bankruptcy during the economic crisis last year.
這家公司在去年的經濟危機中瀕臨破產。
The kitten was near death when the rescue team found it in the rain.
救援隊在雨中發現那隻小貓時，牠已經奄奄一息。
- on the verge of
more dramatic; implies the boundary is about to be crossed
- close to
neutral alternative with the same collocation pattern
- far from
nowhere near that state
文法句型
near + noun (death, collapse, tears, bankruptcy, completion)
用法筆記
Common with negative or dramatic states (death, collapse, ruin, tears, panic). The object is always a noun that names a condition, not an adjective — use 'near death' not 'near dead'. The expression 'near to + noun' is an alternative, less common variant ('near to tears').
常見錯誤
6. close enough to a person to be easily reached, used, or seen — for example, keep
在附近
隨手可及之處
close enough to a person to be easily reached, used, or seen — for example, keeping a glass of water near your bed, or having your keys near the front door.
Keep your phone near you in case of an emergency at work.
把手機放在身邊，以備工作時有緊急情況。
near + personal pronoun (you, me, them)
The hotel has a convenience store near the front desk for guests.
這家飯店在大廳旁設有便利商店，方便房客使用。
Christopher always keeps a glass of water near his bed at night.
Christopher 總是在床頭放一杯水。
Defne placed her dictionary near her laptop while writing her essay.
Defne 在寫論文時把字典放在筆電旁邊。
- close by
adverbial, but similar meaning of accessible proximity
- within reach
stronger emphasis on ability to grab something
- at hand
slightly formal; means readily available
- out of reach
too far away to take or use
- far away
distant and not accessible
文法句型
near + pronoun (you, me, them)
keep/have + object + near + pronoun
用法筆記
Differs from sense 1 (CLOSE IN DISTANCE) in that sense 6 focuses on convenience and availability to a person ('near you'), whereas sense 1 describes spatial distance between two landmarks. Compare: 'a shop near the station' (sense 1) versus 'keep the receipt near you' (sense 6).
7. used to describe a guess, estimate, or statement that is fairly close to being c
接近準確
猜測或陳述接近事實
used to describe a guess, estimate, or statement that is fairly close to being correct, though not exact
Dahlia's guess at the number of jellybeans was surprisingly near the actual count.
Dahlia 對糖豆數量的猜測竟非常接近實際數量。
near + noun phrase for accurate estimate
Kwame's estimate of the repair costs was nowhere near the final bill.
Kwame 對維修費用的估算跟最終帳單相差十萬八千里。
nowhere near + noun phrase for far from accurate
Sivan's answer on the quiz was near enough to the correct one to earn half a point.
Sivan 在測驗中的答案已經夠接近正確答案，所以拿到了半分。
The defence lawyer's version was not even near what the witnesses had described in court.
辯護律師的說法跟證人在法庭上描述的內容差了十萬八千里。
Haruto's calculation was near the mark, so the exam board gave him partial credit.
Haruto 的計算結果很接近正確答案，所以批卷小組給了他部分分數。
- close to the mark
more informal and specific to correctness
- approximately right
less precise, more common in everyday speech
- not far off
colloquial and often used in British English
- far from
direct opposite in accuracy contexts
- wide of the mark
idiomatic; strongly inaccurate
文法句型
near + noun phrase
not even near + noun phrase
nowhere near + noun phrase
用法筆記
Commonly used in negative structures (not even near, nowhere near) to stress that something is far from accurate. In positive statements it is often paired with phrases like 'near enough' or 'near the mark'.
常見錯誤
8. very important or personally interesting to someone, often appearing in the phra
在意的
對某人重要或感興趣
very important or personally interesting to someone, often appearing in the phrase 'near to someone's heart'
Layla's work with refugee children is a cause very near to her heart.
Layla 為難民兒童所做的工作是她非常在意的一項事業。
near to [someone]'s heart for emotional importance
Nothing is more near to Imran than the safety of his younger sisters.
對 Imran 來說，沒有比妹妹們的安全更在意的事了。
near to + noun for personal priority
The old library building was a place very near to the neighbourhood's heart.
那座老舊的圖書館是整個社區非常在意的地方。
Lien found that environmental law was the field most near to her interests.
Lien 發現環境法是最貼近她個人興趣的領域。
After years of coaching, the team's success became a matter very near to Roya.
經過多年指導之後，這支隊伍的成功成了 Roya 非常在意的事。
- dear to
warmer and implies affection rather than general importance
- important to
more neutral and less personal in tone
- meaningful to
suggests deeper emotional significance
- unimportant to
direct opposite in terms of significance
- indifferent to
describes lack of interest or concern
文法句型
near to + noun phrase
near to + someone's heart
用法筆記
Most common in the fixed phrase 'near to someone's heart' or 'dear to someone's heart'. The object is typically a person or group that feels the attachment.