Japanese Conversation · Level 29
90 words
Japanese word
どちら
Pronunciation
Romajidochira
Meaning
- pronounwhere
Example
駅はどちらですか。eki wa do chi ra de su ka
Where is the station?
More examples
トイレはどちらですか？to i re wa do chi ra de su ka
Where is the restroom?
休みの日はどちらへ行きますか。yasu mi no hi wa do chi ra e i ki ma su ka
Where do you go on your days off?
Core concept
Asks which place, direction, or option applies when several possibilities are open.
Common phrases
どちらからdo chi ra ka ra
from where
どちらへdo chi ra e
where to
Similar words
どこdoko: A pronoun that asks where a person or thing is located.
どっちdotchi: A casual pronoun that asks which place, direction, or choice applies.
Definition in Japanese
複数の人や物の中から、場所・方向・選択肢などについて尋ねるときに用いる語。fuku sū no hito ya mono no naka ka ra ba sho hō kō sen taku shi na do ni tsu i te tazu ne ru to ki ni mochi i ru go
Word origin
どちら (dochira) comes from the older form どち (dochi), which is connected with いづち (izuchi, "which way"), while ら (ra) is part of its historical form.
Usage tips
- どちら (dochira) is the more polite or formal form compared with どっち (docchi), so it is common in service encounters and careful conversation.
Other meanings
- whichpronoun
- which directionpronoun