Definition
Close in distance or time; not far away.
Example
駅から家まで近いので、歩いて帰る。
Show translation
The station is close to my house, so I walk home.
Etymology
From Old Japanese *tikapi*, root *tika-* meaning "near, proximate," shared with the verb 近づく (*chikazuku*, "to approach"). The -い (*-i*) ending marks it as an い-adjective, the native Japanese adjectival class. Its antonym 遠い (*tōi*, "far") shares the same grammatical pattern and is equally ancient in the language.
Cultural note
Japanese speakers use 近い for both physical and temporal proximity: a shop can be 近い, and so can a deadline or an anniversary. In daily navigation, asking 「近いですか？」("Is it close?") is one of the most practical phrases for any visitor. Note that 近い is an い-adjective, so it negates as 近くない and becomes a noun-modifier without any change: 近い店 (*chikai mise*, "a nearby shop").