(となり)

となり
noun
next to, neighbor
1. next to, beside
The position immediately adjacent to something.
(となり)(すわ)
To sit next to someone.
May I sit next to you?
The person next to me is kind.
The school is next to the library.
I talked with the person sitting in the seat next to me on the train.
2. neighbor, next door
A person or place that is immediately adjacent.
(となり)()
To live next door.
There's a sound from next door.
I greeted my neighbor.
A new person came to the room next door.
When I was a child, the person who lived next door gave me sweets every day.

(となり) refers to something immediately adjacent, with no gap in between. For things that are nearby but not directly adjacent, use (ちか) or そば. (となり)(ひと) can mean either 'the person next to me' or 'my neighbor.' Compare with (よこ) which means 'beside' but emphasizes the horizontal direction.