The word 附近 is formed by combining two characters that both conceptually reinforce the idea of closeness. 附 (fù) carries the core meaning of "to attach" or "to be close to", suggesting a state of being affixed or neighboring. 近 (jìn) directly means "near" in terms of physical distance or time. When placed together, they create a compound where the first character (附) describes the relational state of being adjoining, and the second (近) specifies the qualitative aspect of short distance, resulting in the comprehensive meaning of "vicinity" or "the surrounding nearby area".