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Japanese 「この・その・あの・どの」 are not simply a matter of distinguishing “this,” “that,” and “which.” You also need to consider whose side or domain the noun belongs to, and whether the information was just mentioned or was already known to both speakers. 「この」 is used for things near the speaker, 「その」 often refers to something on the listener’s side or picks up information from the preceding context, 「あの」 generally refers to something far from both people and can also recall a shared memory, while 「どの」 asks which item within a particular set is meant.

All four forms must be followed by a noun. If the noun is omitted, you need to switch to 「これ／それ／あれ／どれ」. Once you separate “location” from “where the information came from,” you no longer have to choose between 「その」 and 「あの」 based only on the Chinese word for “that.”

What Are Japanese 「この・その・あの・どの」? They Must Be Followed by a Noun

「この・その・あの・どの」 are Japanese adnominals that directly modify the noun that follows. Common forms include 「この本」「その店」「あの人」「どの電車」.

Unlike 「これ・それ・あれ・どれ」, they cannot be used on their own. If the noun is not stated, you need to use 「これ／それ／あれ／どれ」 instead.

Demonstrative	Basic Meaning	Basic Position	Example
この＋noun	this…	Near the speaker	この本
その＋noun	that…	Near the listener	その本
あの＋noun	that… over there	Far from both speaker and listener	あの本
どの＋noun	which…	Asking about an option	どの本

• Example: この本は日本語の教科書です。
  Kana: このほんはにほんごのきょうかしょです。
  Translation: This book is a Japanese textbook.
  The book is on the speaker’s side, so 「この本」 is used.
• Example: そのかばんは誰のですか。
  Kana: そのかばんはだれのですか。
  Translation: Whose bag is that?
  When the bag is near the listener, the speaker uses 「そのかばん」 to refer to it.
• Example: どの電車に乗ればいいですか。
  Kana: どのでんしゃにのればいいですか。
  Translation: Which train should I take?
  「どの」 must be followed by the noun that specifies what is being asked about, so the phrase is 「どの電車」.

How to Use Japanese 「この・その・あの・どの」: All Four Must Be Followed by a Noun

The most basic use of 「この・その・あの」 is called situational deixis, where the object being referred to is physically present in the conversation. In this case, the choice depends not only on physical distance but also on where the speaker and listener are positioned.

When two people are facing each other from different positions, you can first divide the space into three areas:

• The speaker’s side: この
• The listener’s side: その
• Relatively far from both people: あの

This is more practical than memorizing the system simply as “near, middle, far,” because 「その」 often does not refer to a fixed middle distance. Instead, it means that something is “on the other person’s side.”

「この」 Usage｜For Something Near the Speaker or Currently Being Pointed Out

「この」 refers to something near the speaker, in the speaker’s hand, or currently in the speaker’s mental focus. In real conversations, it commonly appears when holding up a product to ask a store clerk about it, pointing to a document on a table, or introducing something right in front of you.

• Example: このケーキを一つください。
  Kana: このケーキをひとつください。
  Translation: I’ll have one of this cake, please.
  The cake is right in front of the speaker and is being directly indicated, so 「この」 is used.
• Example: このカードは使えますか。
  Kana: このカードはつかえますか。
  Translation: Can I use this card?
  If the speaker is holding the card or it is on the speaker’s side, 「このカード」 is the most natural choice.
• Example: この写真を見てください。
  Kana: このしゃしんをみてください。
  Translation: Please look at this photo.
  The photo is in the speaker’s hand or is currently being brought into the conversation, so 「この」 is used to identify it.

「その」 Usage｜For Something on the Other Person’s Side and for Information Just Mentioned

In a physical setting, 「その」 refers to something on the listener’s side. For example, when a store clerk and customer are talking across a counter, a product in the customer’s hand can easily become 「その商品」 from the clerk’s perspective.

「その」 also has an important contextual use. If someone has just mentioned a store, an event, or a person and the other speaker continues talking about the same thing, 「その＋noun」 is also common. In this case, there is no physical distance involved; the expression refers back to information that has already appeared in the conversation.

• Example: その傘はお客様のですか。
  Kana: そのかさはおきゃくさまのですか。
  Translation: Is that umbrella yours?
  The umbrella is on the listener’s side, so the speaker uses 「その傘」.
• Example: その紙に名前を書いてください。
  Kana: そのかみになまえをかいてください。
  Translation: Please write your name on that sheet of paper.
  The paper is near the listener, so 「その紙」 directly identifies the sheet that should be filled out.
• Example: A：昨日、新しいカフェに行きました。
  Kana: きのう、あたらしいカフェにいきました。
  Translation: I went to a new café yesterday.
  B：そのカフェは駅の近くですか。

「あの」 Usage｜For Something Far from Both People or Something Both Already Know

When a distant building, sign, or person is visible at the scene, 「あの」 can be used. A typical situation is when the speaker and listener are standing on the same side and looking toward a particular object in the distance.

「あの」 also has another very useful contextual function: it can refer to a person, place, or event from the past that both speakers know and remember. Here, 「あの」 does not indicate actual physical distance. Instead, it means “the one we both know from our shared memory.”

• Example: あの建物は何ですか。
  Kana: あのたてものはなんですか。
  Translation: What is that building over there?
  The building is relatively far from both the speaker and the listener, so 「あの建物」 is used.
• Example: あの青い看板の店です。
  Kana: あのあおいかんばんのみせです。
  Translation: It’s that shop with the blue sign over there.
  Both people are looking toward a shop some distance away, so 「あの」 is the most natural way to identify it.
• Example: 去年一緒に行ったあの店、覚えていますか。
  Kana: きょねんいっしょにいったあのみせ、おぼえていますか。
  Translation: Do you remember that restaurant we went to together last year?
  The restaurant is not in front of them now, but both people share the experience, so 「あの店」 carries the sense of “that restaurant we both remember.”

「その」 and 「あの」 Can Both Mean “That”—What Is the Actual Difference?

The Chinese equivalent of “that” can cover many situations, but Japanese makes a further distinction based on the relationship between the referent, the speaker, and the listener. When something is physically present, 「その」 usually refers to something on the listener’s side, while 「あの」 refers to something relatively far from both people. When the object is not present, the basis for choosing shifts from physical distance to “how the information entered the conversation”: 「その」 often refers back to a person or thing just mentioned, whereas 「あの」 is commonly used for something that both people already knew, experienced together, or remember.

For that reason, although both 「その店」 and 「あの店」 may be translated as “that shop” or “that restaurant,” their assumptions are different. If you are hearing about a shop for the first time from the other person and then ask a follow-up question, 「その店」 is usually used. If you are discussing a shop that both of you visited together last year and both know which one you mean, 「あの店」 can be used. Japanese linguistic research also often discusses 「その」 in connection with anaphoric reference to preceding context, while 「あの」 can refer to something within the speakers’ shared experience.

Comparison	「その＋noun」	「あの＋noun」
Physical position	Near the listener	Far from both speaker and listener
When not physically present	Often refers back to information just introduced	Often refers to something both already know or remember
Whether the listener already knew it	Not necessarily; they may have just heard about it for the first time	Usually assumes both people can identify what is being discussed
Conversational feel	“the … just mentioned”	“the … we both know”
Common combinations	その話、その店、その人、その件	あの店、あの人、あの時、あの日
Common Chinese translation	that…	that…
How to decide	Check whether the information comes from preceding context or the listener’s side	Check whether it is a distant object or part of shared memory

▌Information Just Mentioned by the Other Person Is Usually Picked Up with 「その」

「その」 is not necessarily related to physical distance. When a person, place, or event has just appeared in the preceding conversation and the same subject continues to be discussed, 「その＋noun」 is very common. In this use, it is close to “that … you just mentioned.” The important point is not where the object is located, but that previously introduced information is being carried into the current sentence.

• Example: その話、誰から聞きましたか。
  Kana: そのはなし、だれからききましたか。
  Translation: Who did you hear that story from?
  The subject has already been mentioned earlier in the conversation, so 「その話」 picks up the content that just appeared. Here, 「その」 has no spatial meaning; it means “that story you just mentioned.”

▌For Something Both People Already Know, 「あの」 Can Be Used

In addition to referring to something physically far from both the speaker and listener, 「あの」 can also be used for people, places, or events that both already know. Common cases include places they have visited together, events they experienced together, or people whose identity is obvious without further explanation. In these cases, 「あの」 carries the sense of “that one from before—the one we both know.”

• Example: 去年一緒に行ったあの店、覚えていますか。
  Kana: きょねんいっしょにいったあのみせ、おぼえていますか。
  Translation: Do you remember that restaurant we went to together last year?
  The restaurant is not currently in front of them, but both people have been there together and know which restaurant is being discussed, so 「あの店」 can be used. Here, 「あの」 points to shared memory rather than physical distance.

▌If Only One Person Originally Knew About It, 「その」 Is Usually Used First

If a person or place was originally known only to the speaker and the listener is hearing about it for the first time in the current conversation, 「その」 is usually used to pick up the newly introduced information rather than immediately using 「あの」. 「あの」 tends to imply that both people were already able to identify the referent, while newly introduced information does not yet have that layer of shared knowledge.

• Example: その店、おいしかったですか。
  Kana: そのみせ、おいしかったですか。
  Translation: Was that restaurant good?
  The preceding sentence has just introduced a new ramen restaurant, and the listener did not previously know which restaurant it was. Using 「その店」 to refer back to the preceding context is therefore the most natural choice. If it were changed to 「あの店」, it would more easily suggest that both people already knew the restaurant.

How Is Japanese 「どの」 Used? Asking “Which One” from Several Options

「どの」 means “which…” and is used to ask about one item within a particular set. Like 「この・その・あの」, it must always be followed by a noun.

If you see several trains, you can ask 「どの電車」; if several products are displayed on a shelf, you can ask 「どの商品」; and if there are several people in a photo, you can ask 「どの人」.

「どの」 Usage ①｜Asking Which One Among Several Objects

• Example: どの料理がおすすめですか。
  Kana: どのりょうりがおすすめですか。
  Translation: Which dish do you recommend?
  There are multiple options on the menu, and 「どの料理」 asks the listener to identify one of them.
• Example: どの電車に乗れば新宿に行けますか。
  Kana: どのでんしゃにのればしんじゅくにいけますか。
  Translation: Which train should I take to get to Shinjuku?
  The question is not asking what the train itself is, but which train among several options should be taken.
• Example: どのサイズが一番大きいですか。
  Kana: どのサイズがいちばんおおきいですか。
  Translation: Which size is the largest?
  「どの」 is followed directly by the noun being compared, 「サイズ」.

「どの」 Usage ②｜Use 「どの人／どの方」 When Asking About a Person

「どの人」 means “which person” and is grammatically fine. However, in formal service situations or when a higher degree of politeness is needed, 「どの方」 can be used.

• Example: 田中さんはどの人ですか。
  Kana: たなかさんはどのひとですか。
  Translation: Which person is Tanaka?
  When several people are present, 「どの人」 can be used to identify one of them.
• Example: 担当者はどの方ですか。
  Kana: たんとうしゃはどのかたですか。
  Translation: Which person is in charge?
  「方」 is a more polite way to refer to a person than 「人」 and is more suitable in business and service contexts.
• Example: 写真の中で、先生はどの方ですか。
  Kana: しゃしんのなかで、せんせいはどのかたですか。
  Translation: Which person in the photo is the teacher?
  Since the group of people has already been clearly defined as those in the photo, 「どの方」 asks which person within that group is meant.

What Is the Difference Between Japanese 「この・その・あの・どの」 and 「これ・それ・あれ・どれ」?

「この・その・あの・どの」 and 「これ・それ・あれ・どれ」 belong to the same Japanese 「こ・そ・あ・ど」 demonstrative system, and their distance relationships are broadly similar. The real difference is the job they perform in a sentence. 「この・その・あの・どの」 modify the noun that follows, so they cannot stand alone. 「これ・それ・あれ・どれ」 can themselves substitute for an object, so no noun needs to follow them.

The easiest way to decide is to ask whether you are going to say the name of the object. For “this book,” the noun 「本」 is stated, so the phrase is 「この本」. If everyone already knows that a book is being discussed and you only want to answer “this one,” you use 「これ」. Likewise, “which bag” is 「どのかばん」, but if the noun is omitted, “which one” is 「どれ」. Tokyo University of Foreign Studies also directly categorizes the two groups as forms for “things” and forms that “modify nouns.”

Function	Form Used with a Noun	Standalone Form	English Concept	Example
Near the speaker	この＋noun	これ	this… / this one	この本／これ
Near the listener	その＋noun	それ	that… / that one	その本／それ
Far from both	あの＋noun	あれ	that… over there / that one over there	あの本／あれ
Asking which one	どの＋noun	どれ	which… / which one	どの本／どれ

Whenever a noun still follows, use 「この／その／あの／どの」. If the noun has been omitted, switch to 「これ／それ／あれ／どれ」. For this reason, you cannot say 「これ本」 or use 「どのですか」 by itself. The two groups cannot be interchanged simply because their translations happen to look similar in another language.

▌When the Noun Is Stated, Use 「この・その・あの・どの」

「この・その・あの・どの」 are not pronouns. They are placed directly before nouns to indicate which particular object is being discussed. Therefore, whenever the noun is explicitly stated in the sentence, you need forms such as 「この本」「その店」「あの人」「どの電車」. You cannot put 「これ・それ・あれ・どれ」 directly in front of a noun.

• Example: この本はいくらですか。
  Kana: このほんはいくらですか。
  Translation: How much is this book?
  The noun 「本」 is explicitly stated in the sentence, so 「この」 is placed before it. You cannot say 「これ本はいくらですか」 because 「これ」 can already stand for an object on its own and cannot directly modify the noun 「本」.

▌When the Noun Is Omitted, Switch to 「これ・それ・あれ・どれ」

If the preceding conversation has already made it clear what is being discussed, there is no need to keep repeating the same noun. You can instead use 「これ・それ・あれ・どれ」 to directly substitute for the object. These words can stand alone, so forms such as 「これです」「それです」「どれですか」 often appear in answers.

• Example: これです。
  Kana: これです。
  Translation: This one.
  If the preceding question was 「どのかばんが田中さんのですか」, the noun 「かばん」 is already clear from the context. There is no need to repeat 「このかばんです」 in the answer; you can simply use 「これ」 in place of the bag and say 「これです」.

▌「どのですか」 Should Usually Be Changed to 「どれですか」

Like 「この・その・あの」, 「どの」 must be followed by a noun and cannot stand alone to mean “which one.” If the noun has already been omitted and you simply want to ask “which one is it?”, you need to use 「どれ」, which can itself stand for an object.

• Example: 田中さんのかばんはどれですか。
  Kana: たなかさんのかばんはどれですか。
  Translation: Which one is Tanaka’s bag?
  The noun 「かばん」 has already been stated earlier in the sentence, so all that remains is to ask which one it is. That is why 「どれですか」 is used. You cannot say 「田中さんのかばんはどのですか」 because 「どの」 must be followed by another noun and is incomplete on its own.

「この・その・あの・どの」 Are Also Different from 「ここ・そこ・あそこ・どこ」

「この・その・あの・どの」 and 「ここ・そこ・あそこ・どこ」 both change according to the positions of the speaker and listener, but they do not refer to the same type of thing. The first group comes before nouns and identifies “which book, which shop, which person,” while 「ここ・そこ・あそこ・どこ」 directly refer to places and answer “here, there, over there, where.”

For example, if you are standing inside a café and say 「この店」, you are referring to the noun “this shop.” If you say 「ここ」, the focus shifts to the location “here.” Therefore, 「この店は静かです」 describes the shop, whereas 「ここは静かです」 describes the place you are currently in. Both sentences might be expressed similarly in Chinese, but when choosing the Japanese form, you first need to determine whether you are pointing to a noun or to a location. Tokyo University of Foreign Studies likewise categorizes these two groups separately as forms that “modify nouns” and forms for “places.”

「こ・そ・あ・ど」 Series	Modifies a Noun	Refers to a Thing	Refers to a Place	Basic Position / Function
こ series	この＋noun	これ	ここ	Near the speaker
そ series	その＋noun	それ	そこ	Near the listener
あ series	あの＋noun	あれ	あそこ	Far from both
ど series	どの＋noun	どれ	どこ	Asking which one / where

The three groups can be learned through the same basic system, but they cannot be substituted for one another. In 「この店」, 「この」 must be followed by the noun 「店」; 「これ」 stands for an object; and 「ここ」 directly indicates a place. First identify whether the sentence is pointing to a noun, an object, or a location, and then consider distance. This is more accurate than seeing “this,” “that,” or “here” in another language and translating word by word.

• Example: この店は何時までですか。
  Kana: このみせはなんじまでですか。
  Translation: What time is this shop open until?
  「この」 is followed by the noun 「店」.
• Example: これは何ですか。
  Kana: これはなんですか。
  Translation: What is this?
  「これ」 itself substitutes for the object in front of the speaker.
• Example: ここはどこですか。
  Kana: ここはどこですか。
  Translation: Where is this?
  Both 「ここ」 and 「どこ」 refer to locations.

How Does the Nuance Change If You Use 「この・その・あの」 in the Same Situation?

Even when the topic is the same “shop,” changing between 「この店」「その店」「あの店」 does not change the shop itself. What changes is how the speaker places that shop within the current conversation. 「この店」 places the shop within the speaker’s current location or sphere of contact; 「その店」 treats the shop as information on the listener’s side or refers back to something the other person has just mentioned; and 「あの店」 treats it as something far from both people or as a shop both already know.

For that reason, you cannot simply decide that every instance would be translated as “that shop” and then randomly choose between 「その／あの」. You need to ask whether, at the moment of speaking, the shop is “this shop here,” “the shop just mentioned,” or “the shop we both remember.”

「この店」｜The Shop Right Here or the One You Are Currently In

When the speaker is inside the shop, standing in front of it, or pointing to the shop in front of them, 「この店」 places the shop within the speaker’s current sphere. The focus is “this shop I’m currently interacting with.”

• Example: この店、前にも来たことがあります。
  Kana: このみせ、まえにもきたことがあります。
  Translation: I’ve been to this shop before.
  The speaker is currently in or near the shop, so 「この店」 is used. Here, 「この」 directly makes the shop in front of the speaker the topic.

「その店」｜The Shop the Other Person Just Mentioned

If the shop is not physically present and the listener has just mentioned it, the other speaker will naturally use 「その店」 when asking a follow-up question. The nuance is close to “that shop you just mentioned.”

• Example: その店、駅から近いですか。
  Kana: そのみせ、えきからちかいですか。
  Translation: Is that shop near the station?
  Someone has already mentioned a particular shop, and this sentence continues by asking about its location. 「その店」 does not indicate a literal middle distance; it refers back to information that has just entered the conversation.

「あの店」｜A Shop Both People Know Which One They Mean

If two people previously visited a particular shop together and are now talking about it again, they can use 「あの店」 even when the shop is nowhere in sight. It carries the sense of “that shop from before—the one we both know.”

• Example: あの店、まだ覚えていますか。
  Kana: あのみせ、まだおぼえていますか。
  Translation: Do you still remember that shop?
  「あの店」 assumes that the speakers already share some memory or common understanding of the shop. The sentence is not introducing an unfamiliar shop for the first time; it is bringing a mutually known referent back into the conversation.

Looking at the three together, 「この店」 focuses on a shop currently close to the speaker, 「その店」 picks up a shop introduced by the listener or preceding context, and 「あの店」 often evokes a shared memory. Another language may use only “this shop” or “that shop,” but Japanese incorporates the relationship between the speaker, listener, and referent into the demonstrative itself.

Common Mistakes with Japanese 「この・その・あの・どの」: Do Not Translate Only from “This” and “That”

The Chinese word for “that” covers a broad range of situations, but Japanese distinguishes between 「その」 and 「あの」 based on conversational position, information source, and shared memory. This is where word-for-word translation most easily leads to mistakes.

▌Mistake ①｜Memorizing 「その」 as a Fixed “Middle Distance”

「その」 can certainly refer to something in an intermediate position, but when two people are facing each other, it is more practical to understand it as “on the other person’s side.”

If A is holding a book and B, standing opposite, asks about it, B can say:

✅ その本は面白いですか。

Kana: そのほんはおもしろいですか。

Translation: Is that book interesting?

Even if the two people are physically very close, the book still belongs to A’s side of the space, so B uses 「その」.

▌Mistake ②｜Using 「あの」 Immediately for Information You Have Just Heard

A：昨日、新しいホテルに泊まりました。
　　I stayed at a new hotel yesterday.
　　❌ B：あのホテルはどうでしたか。
　　✅ B：そのホテルはどうでしたか。

How was that hotel?

B did not previously know about the hotel; A has only just introduced it. Therefore, 「そのホテル」 is more natural for referring back to the newly introduced information.

▌Mistake ③｜Referring to People Directly as 「これ／それ／あれ」

When introducing a person, Japanese normally uses 「この人」「その人」「あの人」. In formal situations, 「この方」「その方」「あの方」 can be used.

✅ あの人は店長です。

Kana: あのひとはてんちょうです。

Translation: That person is the store manager.

Referring to a person directly with 「あれ」 can sound unnatural or impolite. People should not be pointed out in exactly the same way as ordinary objects.

Practical Japanese for Travel: 「この・その・あの・どの」 for Shopping and Asking Directions

「この・その・あの・どの」 appear very frequently while traveling. When ordering food, you might say 「この料理」. A store clerk confirming the product in a customer’s hand might say 「その商品」. When two people look toward something in the distance, they may use 「あの建物」. When choosing among multiple options, you might ask 「どの電車」.

What makes these forms particularly useful is that you do not need to know the full name of an object. As long as you can see the referent, combining 「この／その／あの」 with a simple noun is enough to identify what you want to ask about.

▌Situation ①｜Pointing at a Menu in a Restaurant

A：この料理は辛いですか。
　　このりょうりはからいですか。
　　Is this dish spicy?

B：少し辛いですが、人気があります。
　　すこしからいですが、にんきがあります。
　　It’s a little spicy, but it’s popular.

📌 Grammar Point: The menu is right in front of the person ordering, so 「この料理」 is used when directly pointing to one of the dishes.

▌Situation ②｜Confirming a Product in a Customer’s Hand at a Clothing Store

A：このシャツ、別のサイズはありますか。
　　このシャツ、べつのサイズはありますか。
　　Does this shirt come in another size?

B：その商品でしたら、MとLがあります。
　　そのしょうひんでしたら、エムとエルがあります。
　　For that item, we have M and L.

📌 Grammar Point: The shirt in the customer’s hand is 「このシャツ」 from the customer’s perspective, but it becomes 「その商品」 from the perspective of the clerk standing on the other side. The demonstrative used for the same object can change depending on who is speaking.

▌Situation ③｜Asking Which Train to Take at a Station

A：渋谷に行くには、どの電車に乗ればいいですか。
　　しぶやにいくには、どのでんしゃにのればいいですか。
　　Which train should I take to get to Shibuya?

B：あのホームから出る電車です。
　　あのホームからでるでんしゃです。
　　It’s the train that leaves from that platform over there.

📌 Grammar Point: 「どの電車」 asks which train among several options is the correct one, while 「あのホーム」 refers to a platform that both people can see but that is relatively far from their current position.

Cultural Notes:

1. Japanese 「こ・そ・あ」 cannot be mapped perfectly onto Chinese equivalents of “this” and “that.” The 「そ」 series in particular is closely associated with the listener’s domain, so the demonstrative used for the same object can change when the speaker changes.
2. 「あの人」「あの方」 can refer not only to people physically far away but also to someone both speakers know. In conversation, 「あの人、最近どうしてる？」 usually implies that both people know who is being discussed.
3. 「その話」「その件」「その場合」 are extremely common in business and formal conversation. In these expressions, 「その」 has almost no spatial meaning; instead, it brings previously mentioned content back into the current sentence.

How Do Japanese 「この・その・あの・どの」 Compare with Korean 「이・그・저・어느」?

◆ Similar Grammar: Korean 「이／그／저／어느」

Korean also has a demonstrative system similar to Japanese 「こ・そ・あ・ど」. 「이」 refers to something near the speaker, 「그」 can refer to something near the listener or something already mentioned, 「저」 refers to something far from both people, and 「어느」 is used to ask “which.”

For spatial reference, the two languages correspond quite closely. However, there is an important difference when shared memories are involved: Japanese often uses 「あの」 to call back something both speakers know, while Korean more commonly uses 「그」 in this situation. You therefore cannot automatically translate every 「あの」 as 「저」.

• Example: 이 가방은 얼마예요?
  Romanization: i ga-bang-eun eol-ma-ye-yo?
  Translation: How much is this bag?
  「이 가방」 refers to a bag near the speaker and basically corresponds to Japanese 「このかばん」.
• Example: 그 가게는 어디에 있어요?
  Romanization: geu ga-ge-neun eo-di-e i-sseo-yo?
  Translation: Where is that shop?
  「그」 can refer back to a shop already mentioned, making its function very similar to the contextual use of Japanese 「その」.
• Example: 저 건물은 뭐예요?
  Romanization: jeo geon-mul-eun mwo-ye-yo?
  Translation: What is that building over there?
  「저」 refers to an actual object physically far from both speaker and listener, making it close to Japanese 「あの建物」.

◆ Core Difference from 「この・その・あの・どの」:

In terms of physical distance, Japanese 「この／その／あの」 and Korean 「이／그／저」 are quite similar, and interrogative 「どの」 can often correspond to 「어느」. The clearer difference appears with shared memory. Japanese can say 「去年行ったあの店」 using 「あの」 for a shop both speakers remember, while Korean would usually say 「작년에 갔던 그 가게」, using 「그」 rather than 「저」.

「この・その・あの・どの」 may look like four very basic words, but the part that actually causes the most confusion is the distinction between 「その」 and 「あの」. When the object is physically present, first look at which person it is closer to. When it is not present, ask whether it was just introduced into the conversation or whether both people already knew it.

It is also enough to confirm the forms one more time: 「この・その・あの・どの」 must be followed by a noun; if the noun is not stated, switch to 「これ・それ・あれ・どれ」. When traveling, you will have many opportunities to use both sets with menus, platforms, products, and signs.

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