近眼
きんがん · kingan · JLPT N1 · noun
myopia
👓 近眼 = 近 near + 眼 eye: eyes that only see near things clearly
Compound of 近 (near) and 眼 (eye). A nearsighted eye focuses well up close, while distant objects look blurry, which is why glasses help.
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'.
眼 — eye radical 目 + 艮 (phonetic)
眼 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The left side 目 means 'eye' and gives the meaning, while 艮 on the right supplies the sound. Originally referring to the eyeball, it broadened over time to mean 'eye' generally and, by extension, 'a hole' or 'key point'.