Japanese word

かなた

Pronunciation

Romajikanata

Meaning

  • pronounbeyond

Example

海のかなたに島があります。umi no ka na ta ni shima ga a ri ma su

There is an island beyond the sea.

Illustration for かなた (beyond)

More examples

雲のかなたから、かすかな音楽が聞こえてきます。kumo no ka na ta ka ra ka su ka na on gaku ga ki ko e te ki ma su

Faint music is coming from beyond the clouds.

Core concept

Refers to a place far away or on the other side of something from the speaker's viewpoint.

Common phrases

  • 山のかなたyama no ka na ta

    beyond the mountain

  • かなたの空ka na ta no sora

    the sky beyond

Similar words

向こうmukō: The other side or a distant place, and sometimes a distant time.
あちらachira: A place or direction at some distance, expressed in a polite way.
あっちatchi: A distant place or direction expressed in casual speech.

Definition in Japanese

話し手のいる所から遠く隔たった場所や、その向こう側を指し示す語。hana shi te no i ru tokoro ka ra tō ku heda ta tta ba sho ya so no mu kō gawa o sa shi shime su go

Word origin

The native word かなた (kanata, "beyond") belongs to an old demonstrative pattern contrasting こなた (konata, "this side") and そなた (sonata, "that side"), and it is often written 彼方 (kanata).

Usage tips

  • かなた (kanata) can refer not only to a distant location but also to a distant time, which gives expressions about the past or future a distinctly literary tone.

Other meanings

  • far awaypronoun
  • the other sidepronoun

Opposites

  • こなたkonatathis sidepronoun

Word lists with this word