kopiiki no chikaku ni atarashii kopiiyoushi ga oite arimasu

There is new copy paper placed near the copy machine.

Breakdown of kopiiki no chikaku ni atarashii kopiiyoushi ga oite arimasu

• が: subject particle
• の: possessive case particle
• 新あたらしい: new
• 近ちかく に: near

Questions & Answers about kopiiki no chikaku ni atarashii kopiiyoushi ga oite arimasu

What does コピー機の近く mean grammatically? Why is の used there?

近く is a noun-like word meaning nearby area / vicinity.
So コピー機の近く literally means the vicinity of the copier.

The particle の links nouns, kind of like of in English:

• コピー機 = copy machine / copier
• 近く = nearby area
• コピー機の近く = the area near the copier

This is a very common pattern:

• 駅の近く = near the station
• 家の近く = near the house

So の is not showing possession here in the narrow English sense; it is just connecting one noun to another.

Why is に used after 近く?

Here, に marks the location where something exists or has been placed.

So:

• コピー機の近くに = near the copier
• 新しいコピー用紙が置いてあります = new copy paper has been placed / there is new copy paper placed

With verbs like ある, いる, and expressions like 置いてある, に often marks the place where something is.

Compare:

• 机の上に本があります = There is a book on the desk.
• コピー機の近くに新しいコピー用紙が置いてあります = New copy paper has been placed near the copier.

Why is が used after コピー用紙 instead of は?