TSUMUGU · TOCFL 1 · 字
近
近 ＝ 辶 ＋ 斤
ㄐㄧㄣˋ · jìn
adj — near, close
字源 FORM — what the parts do
辶義walking, the road
Tjīn → jìn — only the tone drops
The road (辶) with 斤 for sound, tone dropped to jìn — a short walk away. Near in place, then near in time: 附近、最近.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
問路的人才開口，老人抬手一指：順這條路（辶）走，幾步就到。
The traveler barely finishes asking; the old man points up the road (辶) — a few steps on, it's there.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)近— near常用
→附近— nearby常用
⇒最近— lately — near in time
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension