靠近 (kàojìn), 旁边 (pángbiān) vs 附近(fùjìn)

[Jan Finster]

Can someone please explain the differences between those, esp 靠近  and 附近 ?

 

Here are 2 examples:

我的家乡靠近波罗的海

我的家乡在伦敦附近

 

Can you use 靠近  and 附近 interchangeably here?

 

 

[Insectosaurus]

靠近 functions as a verb, while 附近 is an noun. Note the 在 and that the word order is different.

 

My rough translations would be:

 

我的家乡靠近波罗的海

My hometown is near the Baltic Sea.

 

我的家乡在伦敦附近

My hometown is in the vicinity of London.

 

I'm still learning, so other users are welcome to correct me if I'm mistaken.

 

馬路旁邊 = next to a road

靠近廣場 = be close to a square

學校附近 = in the vicinity of the school

I would say that 旁邊 (next to) is mostly used more when it comes to smallish entities, like next to a person, a road. I don't think you can live 在倫敦旁邊.

[Jan Finster]

On 7/2/2022 at 2:46 PM, Insectosaurus said:

我的家乡靠近波罗的海

My hometown is near the Baltic Sea.

 

我的家乡在伦敦附近

My hometown is in the vicinity of London.

 

So, I could say: 

我的家乡在波罗的海附近

我的家乡靠近伦敦

?

[Insectosaurus]

I'm fairly certain you can say 我的家乡在波罗的海附近.

 

I'm more skeptical about the second one though. Note that the 靠 in 靠近 is also to lean against something. You tend to be 靠近 a door, a square and so on. I'm thinking the reason it works with the Baltic Sea is that we can see the hometown lie close to the (shore of) the sea. However, someone more versed in the language is going to have to take you up on that one.

 

 

[889]

To me 靠近 implies very close proximity.

 

"请勿靠近车门。"

 

https://youtu.be/N2aUWQJ_3hI

 

[Insectosaurus]

On 7/2/2022 at 3:25 PM, 889 said:

To me 靠近 implies very close proximity.

 

 

This is my understanding as well.

[EnergyReaper]

On 7/2/2022 at 8:46 PM, Insectosaurus said:

I would say that 旁邊 (next to) is mostly used more when it comes to smallish entities, like next to a person, a road. I don't think you can live 在倫敦旁邊.

I can accept someone told me 他住在上海旁边, and I will guess he might live in 昆山. 

Using 靠近 is okay too.  尴尬了！同样靠近上海的两个城市，GDP却差了约一个南京的量