この

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Japanese

Etymology 1

Alternative spellings
此の
斯の

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

この • (kono) 

  1. (deictically) this ... (near the speaker)
    この車(くるま)は緑(みどり)です。
    Kono kuruma wa midori desu.
    This car is green.
  2. (anaphorically) this ... I am talking about (only the speaker knows)
  3. used before words for insults to add emphasis; compare Chinese 這／这 (zhè, “this”) and Vietnamese này (“this”)
    この馬(ば)鹿(か)！
    Kono baka!
    You idiot!
    (literally, “This idiot!”)
    このボケ！
    Kono boke!
    You halfwit!
  4. I, me: used before one's own name to refer to oneself arrogantly
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(いろ)が好(す)きです。 ― Kono iro ga suki desu. ― I like this color.
      • A noun follows kono.
    • Incorrect:
      このが好(す)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(す)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.
  • Almost always spelled in hiragana as この.
Related terms
Related terms
See also
Japanese demonstratives
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)
The kanji 此(こ) (ko), 其(そ) (so), 彼(あ) (a), and 何(ど) (do) can be used for determiners, but they are almost always spelled in hiragana.

Etymology 2

/kokono/ → /kono/

Abbreviation of Old Japanese kokono (“nine”).

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

Number

この • (kono) 

  1. (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.
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

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
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