この

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

• (Tokyo) この [kònó] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [ko̞no̞]

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
   • 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:

     これがこの赤(セキ)を師(スー)兵(ペイ)の頂(ちょう)点(てん)たらしめる炎(ほのお)だッ!!!我(が)龍(りゅう)双(そう)煉(れん)掌(しょう)

     Kore ga kono Seki o Sūpei no chōten tarashimeru honō da'!!! Garyū Sōrenshō

     This is the flame that helped put me, Seki, at the top of the Supei!!! Garyū Sōrenshō

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

• その (sono): that ... (near speaker)
• あの (ano): that ... (near listener)
• どの (dono): which
• これ (kore): this one
• ここ (koko): here
• こちら (kochira): this direction

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) † potentially rude or derogatory

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

• 九

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) この [kóꜜnò] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [ko̞no̞]

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

• ここのつ (kokonotsu)