This is the 5134th most frequent Japanese word.
近
"Near" or "close."
“近く” means 'nearby' or 'close' and is used to refer to locations or places that are in close proximity to the speaker or subject.
彼は近くの公園へ行った。
He went to the nearby park.
“近い” means 'near' or 'soon' in time contexts, describing events that are expected to happen or occur soon.
近い未来に新しい技術が発展するでしょう。
New technologies will likely be developed in the near future.
“近い” indicates proximity between objects or places, emphasizing the accessibility or convenience due to closeness in distance.