近视
jìn shì · HSK 6
shortsighted
👓 jìn shì = near + sight — you can only see what is near
近 means near or close, 视 means sight or vision. Together they literally describe vision that only works up close — nearsightedness. The components spell out the condition directly.
近 — 辶 (walk) + 斤 (axe, phonetic)
近 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The 辶 radical signals movement or distance, while 斤 (axe) supplies the sound. Together they convey the idea of a short distance to walk, hence 'near' or 'close'.