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近影 (kinei) Japanese meaning: recent photograph | Kotomora

近きん影えい

き

ん

え

い

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

recent photograph; latest picture

Used for a recent photo of a person, often in formal or news contexts. Implies the photo is fairly current.

新しん聞ぶんに彼かれの近きん影えいが掲けい載さいされた。
His recent photograph appeared in the newspaper.

Kanji

近near, early, akin
影shadow, silhouette, phantom

Related words

写しゃ真しん
写真 is the general word for photograph, while 近影 specifically means a recent photograph of a person.
近きん況きょう
近況 refers to recent circumstances or news about someone, not a photograph.

Etymology

Compound of 近 (きん, 'recent') and 影 (えい, 'image' or 'shadow'), literally 'recent image'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the kanji combination naturally conveys a recent photograph.

年ねん賀が状じょうに家か族ぞくの近きん影えいを使つかった。

I used a recent family photo for the New Year's card.