Translation guide
How to express 'get close' in Japanese, covering physical proximity, emotional closeness, and approaching a goal or state.
To move nearer to a person, object, or location.
To develop a closer relationship with someone.
The most common way to say 'become close friends' or 'get along well'.
彼とはすぐに仲良くなった。
I got close to him quickly.
新しいクラスメートと仲良くなりたい。
I want to get close to my new classmates.
To come nearer to achieving something or reaching a certain condition.
近づく is a general intransitive verb for approaching, while 近寄る often implies intentional movement toward a specific target. 近寄る is commonly used in negative requests (〜ないでください).
危険なので近寄らないでください。
Please do not approach because it's dangerous.
Avoid directly translating 'get close' as 「近くなる」; it is not idiomatic. Use 近づく or 仲良くなる depending on context.
General verb for approaching or getting close to something physically. Intransitive.
犬が私に近づいてきた。
A dog came close to me.
駅に近づくと、人が多くなった。
As we got close to the station, there were more people.
To approach or draw near, often with a nuance of intentionally moving closer. Intransitive.
危ないので、崖に近寄らないでください。
Please don't get close to the cliff because it's dangerous.
Literally 'go to the side of', a natural way to say 'get close to someone/something'.
もっとそばに行って見てみよう。
Let's get closer and take a look.
Formal or technical term for approaching, used in news or written contexts.
台風が日本に接近しています。
A typhoon is approaching Japan.
To become familiar or intimate, slightly more formal than 仲良くなる.
だんだん親しくなって、今では親友です。
We gradually got close, and now we're best friends.
Literally 'the distance shrinks', used metaphorically for emotional closeness.
一緒に旅行して、二人の距離が縮まった。
Traveling together brought us closer.
Used when an animal or child becomes attached to someone. Not for adult relationships.
子猫が私に懐いて、いつも後をついてくる。
The kitten got attached to me and follows me everywhere.
Also used metaphorically for approaching a goal, deadline, or state.
締め切りが近づいている。
The deadline is getting close.
夢の実現に近づいた。
I got closer to realizing my dream.
Pattern meaning 'on the verge of' or 'close to doing something'.
もう少しでゴールに着くところだ。
We're about to reach the goal.