Japanese word

こちら

Pronunciation

Romajikochira

Meaning

  • pronounthis way

Example

こちらに来てください。ko chi ra ni ki te ku da sa i

Please come this way.

Illustration for こちら (this way)

More examples

出口はこちらです。de guchi wa ko chi ra de su

The exit is this way.

Core concept

Marks the speaker's side as the relevant place or direction, often for guiding movement.

Common phrases

  • こちらへどうぞko chi ra e dō zo

    this way, please

  • こちらに来るko chi ra ni ku ru

    come this way

  • こちらから入るko chi ra ka ra hai ru

    enter from this side

Similar words

こっちkotchi: A casual word for the speaker's side, place, or direction.

Definition in Japanese

話し手に近い方向や場所を指し示す表現。hana shi te ni chika i hō kō ya ba sho o sa shi shime su hyō gen

Word origin

こちら (kochira) is a polite demonstrative related to こっち (kocchi, "this side") and the older form こなた (konata, "this side").

Usage tips

  • In service conversations, こちら (kochira) is more polite than こっち (kocchi), so staff use it when guiding a guest or customer.

Other meanings

  • this directionpronoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word