近きん因いん

noun

immediate cause; proximate cause

Technical term often used in contrast with 遠因 (えんいん, remote cause). Refers to the direct trigger of an event.

See also: 遠因

• 事じ故この近きん因いんはブレーキの故こ障しょうだった。

  The immediate cause of the accident was brake failure.

• 歴れき史し家かは戦せん争そうの近きん因いんと遠えん因いんを区く別べつする。

  Historians distinguish between the proximate and remote causes of wars.