最近|さいきんsaikin[0]heiban (flat)

1. no-adjective, adverbrecently; lately; these days; nowadays; right now
   最近さいきん、彼かれのうわさを耳みみにしていない。↗

   We haven't heard of him lately.
2. no-adjectivenearest; closest

• Synonym今日この頃きょうこのごろWrittenWritten/formal prose for 'these days', often with a reflective, sighing tone; 「最近」 is the neutral, everyday word.
• Synonym今時いまどきCasualColloquial; refers to the present era and often carries a critical nuance, as in 「今時の若者」.
• Synonym近頃ちかごろNeutralNeutral 'lately', but sounds a bit old-fashioned and is used far less than 「最近」, the everyday choice.
• Synonym昨今さっこんWrittenWritten/formal prose for 'lately', common in news reporting, as in 「昨今の情勢」.
• Synonymこの頃このごろNeutralNeutral; 'these days/lately' with emphasis on a continuing recent state, as in 「この頃忙しい」.
• Synonym当世とうせいWrittenWritten/formal prose for the present age and its manners, as in 「当世風」.
• Synonymこの節このせつWrittenWritten/formal prose for the present period; rarely used today.
• Synonym方今ほうこんFormalArchaic, formal written word for 'nowadays', seen mainly in prose and rare today; in daily speech say 「今」 or 「最近」.
• Synonym当節とうせつWrittenWritten/formal prose for the state of the times, often with a critical nuance, as in 「当節の流行」.
• Synonym輓近ばんきんFormalFormal written word for 'recently'; extremely rare — in everyday use say 「最近」 or 「近頃」.
• Synonym今節こんせつWrittenWritten/formal prose for 'at present'; also means the current stage of a league season in sports.
• Synonym今日日きょうびCasualColloquial with a Kansai flavor; 'nowadays, in this day and age', often with a sighing, reflective tone.
• Synonym時下じかFormalFormal letter-writing term for 'at present', as in 「時下ますますご清祥」; 「最近」 is the everyday word.
• Synonym現今げんこんWrittenWritten/formal prose for 'the present day', typical of reports and papers; in daily speech say 「今」.
• Synonym当今とうこんWrittenWritten/formal prose for 'nowadays'; also refers to the reigning Emperor; in daily speech say 「今」.
• Related刻下こっかFormalFormal written word for 'at this very moment', as in 「刻下の急務」; very rare today — say 「今」 or 「最近」.
• Antonym昔むかしNeutralAntonym of 「最近」: the distant past, long ago.
• Antonym遠い昔とおいむかしWrittenAntonym of 「最近」, in written style: the very distant past, a time far removed from today.

Default to 「最近」 for 'recently/these days'. For a continuing recent state use 「この頃」 or 「近頃」 (the latter a bit old-fashioned). 「今時」 adds a critical tone about the present era, 「昨今」 fits news writing, 「時下」 letter greetings, and 「今日この頃」 reflective prose. The formal/written variants (方今, 当節, 輓近, 刻下, 現今, 当今, 当世, この節, 今節) are rare in speech. For the past, use 「昔」 or 「遠い昔」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 現在げんざいから近ちかい過去かこまでの期間きかんのこと。状況じょうきょうによってその幅はばは変化へんかする。このごろ。ちかごろ。
2. あることを基準きじゅんとして、それに最もっとも近ちかい値あたいのこと。