also: ちかずく
近づく · godan verb (-ku)
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | 近づく | 近づかない |
| Polite | 近づきます | 近づきません |
| Past polite | 近づきました | 近づきませんでした |
| Past | 近づいた | 近づかなかった |
| Te-form | 近づいて | 近づかないで |
| Desire | 近づきたい | 近づきたくない |
| Potential | 近づける | 近づけない |
| Passive | 近づかれる | 近づかれない |
| Causative | 近づかせる | 近づかせない |
| Causative passive | 近づかせられるalso 近づかされる | 近づかせられないalso 近づかされない |
| Volitional | 近づこう | |
| Polite volitional | 近づきましょう | |
| Imperative | 近づけ | 近づくな |
| Conditional | 近づけば | 近づかなければ |
| Tara conditional | 近づいたら | 近づかなかったら |
godan verb (-ku), intransitive verb
approach; draw near; get close
Physical or temporal nearing; can be used for people, objects, events, or deadlines.
The train is approaching the station.
締め切りが近づいている。
The deadline is drawing near.
godan verb (-ku), intransitive verb
get acquainted; get closer to; get to know
Used for becoming emotionally closer or more familiar with someone, often through interaction.
最近、彼とだんだん近づいてきた。
Lately, I've been getting closer to him.
共通の趣味で二人は急に近づいた。
They suddenly became close through a shared hobby.
The ship slowly approached the harbor.
He tried to get closer to the popular kid in his class.
The exam date is drawing near.
Please don't get close to the fire, it's dangerous.
迫る conveys a sense of urgency or pressing closeness (like a deadline looming), while 近づく is neutral about how close something feels.
近づく is a general word for approaching physically or abstractly, while 歩み寄る specifically suggests a deliberate step toward a person, often with an interpersonal or negotiating nuance.
Irregular kana usage (ちかずく) restricted to this spelling; rarely used.