Japanese word

近況

Pronunciation

Romajikinkyō

Meaning

  • nounhow things are going

Example

先生に近況を聞かれました。sen sei ni kin kyō o ki ka re ma shi ta

My teacher asked me how things are going.

Illustration for 近況 (how things are going)

More examples

同窓会で、昔の友人とお互いの近況を話しました。dō sō kai de mukashi no yū jin to o taga i no kin kyō o hana shi ma shi ta

At the class reunion, I talked with an old friend about how we were doing.

Core concept

Focuses on the recent circumstances of a person rather than on a single event or permanent condition.

Common phrases

  • 近況を聞くkin kyō o ki ku

    ask how things are going

  • 近況を話すkin kyō o hana su

    talk about how things are going

  • 近況を報告するkin kyō o hō koku su ru

    give an update on how things are going

  • 近況を知らせるkin kyō o shi ra se ru

    let someone know how things are going

  • 近況を伝え合うkin kyō o tsuta e a u

    exchange updates

Similar words

現状genjō: The state of a person or situation at the present time, whether or not it has changed recently.
動静dōsei: A person's recent movements, activities, or state, often reported in formal language.

Definition in Japanese

現在に近い時期の生活や仕事などの状態。gen zai ni chika i ji ki no sei katsu ya shi goto na do no jō tai

Word origin

近況 (kinkyō) is a Sino-Japanese compound of 近 (kin, "near") and 況 (kyō, "condition"), so its meaning centers on a recent state of affairs.

Usage tips

  • A question about 近況 (kinkyō) usually invites an update on what has happened recently, not a complete account of someone's life.

Other meanings

  • current statusnoun

Word lists with this word