この
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Etymology 1
Originally a compound of Old Japanese elements こ (ko, “this”, pronoun) + の (no, possessive, modifies following noun). こ as a pronoun is no longer used individually in modern Japanese.
Pronunciation
Adnominal
- (deictically) this ... (near the speaker)
- この車は緑です。
- Kono kuruma wa midori desu.
- This car is green.
- この車は緑です。
- (anaphorically) this ... I am talking about (only the speaker knows)
- used before words for insults to add emphasis; compare Chinese 這／这 (zhè, “this”) and Vietnamese này (“this”)
- I, me: used before one's own name to refer to oneself arrogantly
- 2003 September 22, Akinobu Uraku, “第60話 少女の決意 (Dai Rokujū Wa: Shōjo no Ketsui) [Chapter 60: A Girl’s Resolve]”, in 東京アンダーグラウンド (Tōkyō Andāguraundo) [Tokyo Underground], volume 11 (fiction), Square Enix, →ISBN, pages 30–31:
Usage notes
- This term can only be used when followed by a noun or noun phrase. It cannot be used as a standalone pronoun. Examples:
- Correct:
- この色が好きです。 ― Kono iro ga suki desu. ― I like this color.
- A noun follows kono.
- Incorrect:
- このが好きです。 ― Kono ga suki desu. ― I like this ...
- There must be a noun in place of the "...", as this is the adnominal, or attributive form, incapable of standing independently.
- Using kono in this way is comparable to using English the without a noun after it (*I like the.).
- Correct:
- これが好きです。 ― Kore ga suki desu. ― I like this.
- A pronoun is used in the stead of the attributive, resulting in the desired meaning of 'this', with no verbal reference present nor required as to the identity of the object.
- Correct:
- Almost always spelled in hiragana as この.
Related terms
See also
| ko- “this” (close to speaker) |
so- “that” (close to listener) |
a- “that over there” (far from both) |
do- “which” (indeterminate, question) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Object | これ (kore) | それ (sore) | あれ (are) | どれ (dore) |
| これら (korera) | それら (sorera) | あれら (arera) | — | |
| Determiner | この (kono) | その (sono) | あの (ano) | どの (dono) |
| これらの (korera no) | それらの (sorera no) | あれらの (arera no) | — | |
| Kind | こんな (konna) | そんな (sonna) | あんな (anna) | どんな (donna) |
| こういう (kō iu) | そういう (sō iu) | ああいう (ā iu) | どういう (dō iu) | |
| Place | ここ (koko) | そこ (soko) | あそこ (asoko)* | どこ (doko) |
| こっから (kokkara) | そっから (sokkara) | — | どっから (dokkara) | |
| Direction / Human | こちら (kochira) | そちら (sochira) | あちら (achira) | どちら (dochira) |
| こなた (konata) | そなた (sonata) | あなた (anata) | どなた (donata) | |
| Direction | こっち (kotchi) | そっち (sotchi) | あっち (atchi) | どっち (dotchi) |
| Human | こいつ (koitsu)† | そいつ (soitsu)† | あいつ (aitsu)† | どいつ (doitsu)† |
| Manner | こう (kō) | そう (sō) | ああ (ā)** | どう (dō) |
| Degree | これくらい (kore kurai) | それくらい (sore kurai) | あれくらい (are kurai) | どれくらい (dore kurai) |
| これだけ (kore dake) | それだけ (sore dake) | あれだけ (are dake) | どれだけ (dore dake) | |
| これほど (kore hodo) | それほど (sore hodo) | あれほど (are hodo) | どれほど (dore hodo) | |
| * irregular ** regular (long vowel) † potentially rude or derogatory | ||||
Japanese demonstratives
Etymology 2
/kokono/ → /kono/
Abbreviation of Old Japanese kokono (“nine”).
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
Number
- (dated) nine
- ひい、ふう、みい、よう、いつ、むう、なな、やあ、この、とお。
- Hī, fū, mī, yō, itsu, mū, nana, yā, kono, tō.
- One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
- ひい、ふう、みい、よう、いつ、むう、なな、やあ、この、とお。
Usage notes
Generally only used when counting out loud, as in the example above. In writing, usually found spelled out in hiragana as この to make the reading unambiguous.
Synonyms
- ここのつ (kokonotsu)
References
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