近所

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 近所(きんじょ) is a noun for a nearby area or the people who live nearby.
• Basic usage: It denotes a place in 近所に新しいパン屋ができる and a person in 近所の人.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Place and people
  • Read 近所 as “nearby” when it names an area and as “neighbor” when the context refers to a person.
• Particle patterns
  • Distinguish the location phrase 近所に from the modifying phrase 近所の人.