noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', adverb
recently; lately; these days; recent
Refers to a recent period up to the present. As an adverb it means “recently/lately/these days”; with の, as in 最近の, it means “recent” or “current.” It usually means the surrounding recent period, not necessarily the exact instant “right now.”
最近、朝早く目が覚める。
Recently, I have been waking up early.
I checked the recent news.
noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
nearest; closest
Limited use for physical or abstract closeness, especially in technical or fixed compounds such as 最近点 or 最近傍. For everyday “nearest station/shop,” 最寄り is usually the more natural word.
In geometry, the point on a curve closest to point P is called a closest point.
I've recently started getting up early.
I haven't been watching the recent news much.
I've been so busy lately that I do nothing but overtime.
I recently started jogging.
最近 simply means 'recently' up to now, while 今時 emphasizes the present era as distinct from the past, often with judgment.
最近 means 'recently' over a broader recent period, whereas この間 often points to a single particular recent occasion.
最近 is the everyday, broad word for 'recently', while 月頃 is a more literary term tied to a stretch of months.
最近 covers a broader, less precise recent period (weeks or months) whereas 先日 points to one specific day within the last week or so.