Home › Japanese › Glossary › next to
Japanese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "next to" in Japanese?
隣
tonari
In Japanese, "next to" is 隣 (tonari).
Listen to the pronunciation:
Free Japanese learning game. No sign-up, play in browser. See all games
Pronunciation
隣 is written using kanji. Romanised as tonari, it sounds roughly like "toh-nah-ree" to an English ear.
Writing and usage
Tonari (隣) means directly adjacent or neighboring. It implies physical proximity and is commonly used for shops, seats, and buildings standing side by side.
Example sentence
郵便局は薬局の隣にあります。
Yuubinkyoku wa yakkyoku no tonari ni arimasu.
The post office is next to the pharmacy.
Test your Japanese knowledge in our free browser games.
How to remember 隣
Tonari suggests closeness. You might say someone is your tonari-san (neighbor). It is more specific than just nearby.
Related words
Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.
Questions about 隣
How do you pronounce 隣?
隣 is romanised as tonari. Say it roughly like "toh-nah-ree" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.
Is 隣 formal or casual?
隣 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.
How is 隣 written in Japanese?
隣 is written using kanji. Tonari (隣) means directly adjacent or neighboring.
Where can I practice Japanese words for free?
You can play free Japanese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, with no sign-up needed. Every word in the Japanese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.
"Next to" in other languages
Curated by Jack Ratcliffe
This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Japanese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation.
Noun Town on PC, Mac & VR
These browser games are just a taste. The full Noun Town is a bigger, deeper 3D world: explore a living town, talk to its characters and learn thousands of words in immersive VR, Mixed Reality, or on your computer. It's an award-winning game with 590+ reviews on Steam and 12 languages to learn.
See the full game ▶Spot an error? Email us at contact@noun.town