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When you first start learning the Japanese words 「これ・それ・あれ・どれ」, it is usually easy enough to memorize them as “this one, that one, that one over there, which one.” But once you actually use them in conversation, 「それ」 and 「あれ」 often become confusing. If someone is holding something in their hand, Chinese can simply call it “那個”; an item sitting on a distant shelf can also be called “那個.” Japanese, however, separates these two positions. The former would usually be 「それ」, while the latter is closer to 「あれ」.

When the object is physically present, the distinction is actually quite straightforward. Something close to the speaker is 「これ」, something close to the listener is 「それ」, something some distance away from both people is 「あれ」, and 「どれ」 is used when you do not know which one among several options is being referred to. The difficulty usually begins when two people are standing on the same side, or when the thing being discussed is not physically present at all. If two people are standing side by side looking at the same row of products, 「それ」 can sometimes refer to something a little farther away than 「これ」. Once the conversation moves from physical objects to something mentioned earlier, 「それ」 can also refer back to what was just said.

「あれ」 is not limited to things that are physically far away either. When both sides know about something that happened in the past, 「あれ」 can bring that shared memory back into the conversation. So even though both may be translated into Chinese as “那個,” 「それ」 more often refers to information that has just entered the conversation, while 「あれ」 tends to appear with things both people already know. If you look at this distinction together with 「この・その・あの・どの」 and 「ここ・そこ・あそこ・どこ」, you can see that the Japanese 「こ・そ・あ・ど」 system uses similar principles to divide both physical location and information within a conversation.

How Do You Use Japanese 「これ・それ・あれ・どれ」? Start by Looking at Which Side the Object Is On

「これ・それ・あれ・どれ」 are demonstratives that directly replace the name of an object or thing. The Chinese “那個” can correspond to both 「それ」 and 「あれ」, but Japanese looks at whose spatial range the object falls into. When two people are facing each other, an item in the listener’s hand would usually be 「それ」. An item in a display case farther away from both people would be closer to 「あれ」. If the two people are standing side by side, something very close in front of them can be 「これ」, something a little farther away can be 「それ」, and something farther away still can be 「あれ」.

Demonstrative	Basic meaning	How to judge it	Common situations
これ	this one	Close to the speaker	Something being held or beside the speaker
それ	that one	Close to the listener; or refers back to previous context	Something near the other person, something just mentioned
あれ	that one over there	Far from both sides; or shared memory	A distant object, a past event both people know
どれ	which one	The specific option is unknown	Asking which one among several choices

How to Use 「これ」｜Close to the Speaker, and It Can Also Bring Previous Context into the Immediate Topic

The most straightforward use of 「これ」 is to refer to something beside the speaker, in the speaker’s hand, or directly in front of the speaker. The object does not have to be physically touching the speaker. As long as the speaker treats it as being within “their side” of the space, 「これ」 can be used. In discourse, 「これ」 can also refer back to something that was just mentioned. In that use, it brings the topic back in front of the speakers and gives a slight sense that “this is what we are talking about right now.”

• Example:  これは日本のお菓子です。
  Kana: これはにほんのおかしです。
  Translation: This is a Japanese snack.
  The snack is on the speaker’s side, so 「これ」 directly replaces the name of the object.
• Example:  これ、試着してもいいですか。
  Kana: これ、しちゃくしてもいいですか。
  Translation: Can I try this on?
  When shopping, if you are pointing directly at something in front of you or in your hand, 「これ」 sounds more natural than repeating the product name.
• Example:  昨日見た映画なんですが、これが意外と面白かったです。
  Kana: きのうみたえいがなんですが、これがいがいとおもしろかったです。
  Translation: About the movie I watched yesterday—this was surprisingly interesting.
  The movie is not physically present, but 「これ」 brings the content just mentioned back to the center of the conversation.

How to Use 「それ」｜Close to the Listener, and It Can Also Refer Back to Something Mentioned Earlier

「それ」 most commonly falls on the listener’s side. When two people are facing each other, something the other person is holding or something on the other person’s desk can easily be referred to with 「それ」. Once the conversation moves beyond physical space, 「それ」 is also very commonly used to pick up the preceding statement, especially something the other person has just said. At that point, the main issue is no longer physical distance. Instead, the information has just entered the conversation from the other person’s side.

• Example:  それは何ですか。
  Kana: それはなんですか。
  Translation: What is that?
  When the object is close to the listener, 「それ」 is the most direct choice.
• Example:  それ、少し見せてもらえますか。
  Kana: それ、すこしみせてもらえますか。
  Translation: Could you show me that for a moment?
  If a store employee is holding the product, the customer can use 「それ」 to refer to something on the employee’s side.
• Example:  A：明日は休みです。B：それはいいですね。
  Kana: あしたはやすみです。／それはいいですね。
  Translation: A: I have tomorrow off.
  B: That’s nice.
  「それ」 refers to the preceding statement “I have tomorrow off,” not to a physical object.

How to Use 「あれ」｜Far from Both People, and It Can Also Refer to a Past Event Both People Know

「あれ」 is easiest to judge when the object is physically present. If something is far from both the speaker and the listener, it will usually fall under 「あれ」. What is easier to overlook is its discourse use. When both people know a particular event, person, or experience, 「あれ」 can call that shared memory back into the conversation. If only the speaker knows what is being referred to and the listener has no relevant background at all, abruptly using 「あれ」 can leave the listener unsure what is meant.

• Example:  あれは東京タワーですか。
  Kana: あれはとうきょうタワーですか。
  Translation: Is that over there Tokyo Tower?
  The target is some distance away from both the speaker and the listener, so 「あれ」 is used.
• Example:  あれ、誰の傘ですか。
  Kana: あれ、だれのかさですか。
  Translation: Whose umbrella is that over there?
  「あれ」 directly replaces the distant umbrella, so there is no need to say 「あの傘」 again.
• Example:  京都で見た夜桜、あれはきれいでしたね。
  Kana: きょうとでみたよざくら、あれはきれいでしたね。
  Translation: Those cherry blossoms we saw at night in Kyoto were beautiful, weren’t they?
  When both people know which experience “the night cherry blossoms in Kyoto” refers to, 「あれ」 can point back to that shared memory.

How to Use 「どれ」｜Used to Ask Which Object It Is When You Do Not Know

「どれ」 is the interrogative corresponding to 「これ・それ・あれ」. In other words, it is used when you do not know exactly which object is being referred to. It can function on its own as a noun phrase, so it does not need another noun after it. If you want to state the object name directly, you switch to 「どの＋noun」. When there are only two choices, everyday conversation also often uses 「どちら」, or the more casual 「どっち」.

• Example:  田中さんの傘はどれですか。
  Kana: たなかさんのかさはどれですか。
  Translation: Which umbrella belongs to Tanaka?
  When you do not know which one among several umbrellas belongs to Tanaka, you ask with 「どれ」.
• Example:  この中で一番安いのはどれですか。
  Kana: このなかでいちばんやすいのはどれですか。
  Translation: Which one is the cheapest among these?
  The range has already been established, so you only need to ask which item within that range it is, making 「どれ」 sufficient.
• Example:  どれにしますか。
  Kana: どれにしますか。
  Translation: Which one would you like?
  This is common in restaurants, shops, or any situation where someone is choosing from existing options.

What Is the Difference Between 「それ」 and 「あれ」? How Do Physical Position and Shared Memory Affect the Choice?

「それ」 and 「あれ」 are both commonly translated into Chinese as “那個,” but Japanese distinguishes them according to physical distance and information in the conversation. When the speaker and listener occupy different positions, 「それ」 can refer to something on the listener’s side, while 「あれ」 refers to something far from both the speaker and the listener. When both people are standing on the same side, 「それ」 can also indicate something at an intermediate distance, while 「あれ」 still points to something farther away. Once the object is no longer physically present, the distinction becomes even clearer: 「それ」 often neutrally refers back to something just mentioned, while 「あれ」 tends to appear with a person, event, or past experience both people already know. The National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics likewise describes the discourse use of 「それ」 as a relatively neutral form of anaphoric reference, while 「あれ」 is generally associated with memories shared by both sides.

Comparison	「それ」	「あれ」
Common Chinese translation	那個	那個, 遠處那個
Speaker and listener facing each other	Close to the listener	Far from both
Speaker and listener standing on the same side	An object at an intermediate distance	An object farther away
Must it be physically visible?	Not necessarily	Not necessarily
Basic discourse use	Refers back to something just mentioned	Refers to something or a memory both already know
Must both people already know it?	No. It can be used as soon as it appears in the preceding context	Usually yes in ordinary conversation
Discourse nuance	“That thing you just mentioned”	“That thing we already know”
Referring to a past experience	Possible, but tends to neutrally pick up prior context	Very common and can evoke a shared memory
In self-talk	Relatively less common	Can be used to recall one’s own memory
Common travel situations	Something in the other person’s hand, something beside a store employee	A distant sign, building, or object visible to both
Common discourse situations	Responding to a plan, piece of news, or event the other person just mentioned	Recalling a shop you visited together, a view you saw, or a past event both know

▌「それ」 vs 「あれ」｜Referring Back to Prior Context vs Shared Memory

When the object is physically in front of you, the difference between 「それ」 and 「あれ」 is mainly about location. Once the object is no longer present, actual physical distance is no longer what matters. 「それ」 works well for directly picking up the preceding sentence. Even if only the speaker originally knew the information, once the listener has just heard it, 「それ」 can be used afterward to continue referring to it. 「あれ」 is more likely to appear when simply mentioning something is enough for both people to know exactly what is meant, such as a restaurant they ate at together, fireworks they saw before, or a person both already know. This is why, even though both can be translated as “that,” 「それ」 does not necessarily require a shared memory, while 「あれ」 often carries a feeling closer to “that thing we both remember.”

• Example:  それ、少し見せてもらえますか。
  Kana: それ、すこしみせてもらえますか。
  Translation: Could you show me that for a moment?
  The product is in the store employee’s hand or beside the employee, so it falls on the listener’s side and 「それ」 is used. This is a judgment based on physical position and has nothing to do with shared memory.
• Example:  あれは何のお店ですか。
  Kana: あれはなんのおみせですか。
  Translation: What kind of store is that over there?
  The store is some distance away from both the speaker and the listener, so 「あれ」 is used. Chinese might still simply say “那間,” but Japanese separates out this kind of distance from both people.
• Example:  A：来月、大阪に引っ越します。B：それは大変ですね。
  Kana: A：らいげつ、おおさかにひっこします。B：それはたいへんですね。
  Translation: A: I’m moving to Osaka next month.
  B: That sounds tough. B did not need to know about the move beforehand. Once A introduces that information into the conversation, B can use 「それ」 to pick up the entire situation. This is a typical example of anaphoric reference.
• Example:  去年見た花火、あれは本当にきれいでしたね。
  Kana: きょねんみたはなび、あれはほんとうにきれいでしたね。
  Translation: Those fireworks we saw last year were really beautiful, weren’t they?
  「あれ」 refers to the fireworks both people remember. The fireworks are obviously not physically visible in the distance now; the “distance” here comes from shared memory of the past.

▌When Talking About the Same Past Experience, How Do 「それ」 and 「あれ」 Sound Different?

Even within the same shared experience, both 「それ」 and 「あれ」 may be possible. The difference lies in where the speaker places the focus at that moment. 「それ」 directly picks up content that has just been spoken aloud, so it sounds more like continuing along the current conversational thread. With 「あれ」, the attention shifts more toward something both people are mentally recalling together. The difference is not that one is correct and the other is wrong. It is whether the speaker is treating it as “the topic just mentioned” or as “that memory both of us can retrieve.”

• Example:  A：去年、京都で抹茶パフェを食べましたよね。B：それ、また食べたいですね。
  Kana: A：きょねん、きょうとでまっちゃパフェをたべましたよね。B：それ、またたべたいですね。
  Translation: A: We had a matcha parfait in Kyoto last year, remember?
  B: I’d like to have that again. 「それ」 directly picks up the 「抹茶パフェ」 that A has just mentioned. Even if both people share the memory, B can still simply respond by following the preceding sentence.
• Example:  A：去年、京都で抹茶パフェを食べましたよね。B：あれ、また食べたいですね。
  Kana: A：きょねん、きょうとでまっちゃパフェをたべましたよね。B：あれ、またたべたいですね。
  Translation: A: We had a matcha parfait in Kyoto last year, remember?
  B: I’d like to have that again. Changing it to 「あれ」 makes the attention fall more naturally on that matcha parfait as it exists in both people’s memory. The Chinese translation changes very little, but the Japanese gains more of a “remember that one?” feeling.

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

The two groups divide location in roughly the same way. The main difference is how they function in a sentence. 「これ・それ・あれ・どれ」 can themselves replace the name of an object or thing, so they do not need another noun after them. 「この・その・あの・どの」, on the other hand, come before a noun and must explicitly state what kind of thing is being referred to. Japanese teaching materials from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies also distinguish the two groups as forms that refer directly to “things” and forms that “modify nouns”: the first group directly points to an object, while the second is used in patterns such as 「このN／そのN／あのN／どのN」.

Comparison	「これ・それ・あれ・どれ」	「この・その・あの・どの」
Main function	Directly replaces the name of an object or thing	Comes before a noun to indicate which one
Must a noun follow?	No noun directly follows	A noun must follow
Can it be used alone?	Yes	No
Basic structure	これ／それ／あれ／どれ＋particle	この／その／あの／どの＋noun＋particle
「こ」 series	これ	この＋noun
「そ」 series	それ	その＋noun
「あ」 series	あれ	あの＋noun
「ど」 series	どれ	どの＋noun
Suitable situation	Both people already know what kind of object is being indicated, so there is no need to repeat the noun	You need to explicitly say “product,” “bag,” “book,” “shop,” etc.
Asking “which one”	どれ	どの＋noun
Example	これは高いです	このかばんは高いです
Common mistake	❌ これかばん	❌ どのが人気です
Correct form	✅ これは高いです	✅ このかばんは高いです／どの商品が人気ですか

▌「これ・それ・あれ・どれ」 vs 「この・その・あの・どの」｜Replacing a Noun vs Modifying a Noun

「これ」 already has the function of “this thing,” so you cannot put 「かばん」 directly after it. If you want the product name itself to appear in the sentence, you switch to 「このかばん」. The other three work the same way: 「それ」 corresponds to 「その＋noun」, 「あれ」 to 「あの＋noun」, and 「どれ」 to 「どの＋noun」. So instead of first thinking about how the expression would be translated into Chinese, simply look at whether the object name itself appears in the Japanese sentence. If there is no noun after it, use 「これ／それ／あれ／どれ」. If the noun comes directly after it, use 「この／その／あの／どの」.

• Example:  これは新しいモデルです。
  Kana: これはあたらしいモデルです。
  Translation: This is a new model.
  「これ」 already replaces the product being pointed to, so it can be followed directly by 「は」. There is no need to put the product name after 「これ」.
• Example:  このスマートフォンは新しいモデルです。
  Kana: このスマートフォンはあたらしいモデルです。
  Translation: This smartphone is a new model.
  Because 「スマートフォン」 appears directly in the sentence, it must be modified by 「この」. You cannot say 「これスマートフォン」.
• Example:  どれが一番人気ですか。
  Kana: どれがいちばんにんきですか。
  Translation: Which one is the most popular?
  The options in front of you are already clear, so there is no need to restate the product category, and 「どれ」 can stand on its own.
• Example:  どの商品が一番人気ですか。
  Kana: どのしょうひんがいちばんにんきですか。
  Translation: Which product is the most popular?
  Since 「商品」 appears directly in the sentence, 「どの＋商品」 is used. The question is still asking which one, but the category of the options is stated explicitly.

▌For the Same Product, What Is the Difference Between 「これ」 and 「この＋Noun」?

When pointing at the same bag in front of you, both 「これ」 and 「このかばん」 can work. With 「これ」, both people are already looking at the same object, so there is no need to repeat its name. This is very common in spoken Japanese. 「このかばん」 explicitly says “bag” again, making the type of object clearer. If a store has clothes, shoes, bags, and other products displayed together, or if several different products have been discussed, the latter can make it easier to narrow the topic specifically to the bag.

• Example:  これ、軽いですね。
  Kana: これ、かるいですね。
  Translation: This is light, isn’t it?
  When both people are already looking at the same bag, 「これ」 is enough. The sentence does not repeat 「かばん」, which also makes it sound closer to the way people naturally point to things in real situations.
• Example:  このかばん、軽いですね。
  Kana: このかばん、かるいですね。
  Translation: This bag is light, isn’t it?
  The same product is being referred to, but 「かばん」 is also stated. When different types of products are nearby, this sentence makes the referent clearer than simply saying 「これ」.

How Do You Distinguish 「これ・それ・あれ・どれ」 from 「ここ・そこ・あそこ・どこ」?

Both groups use 「こ・そ・あ・ど」 to divide location. The difference is whether they point to things or places. 「これ・それ・あれ・どれ」 basically refer to objects or matters, while 「ここ・そこ・あそこ・どこ」 refer to positions or places. So 「どれ」 asks “which one,” while 「どこ」 asks “where.” Tokyo University of Foreign Studies likewise categorizes the two rows as “things” and “places,” with corresponding relationships of near, intermediate, far, and interrogative.

Comparison	「これ・それ・あれ・どれ」	「ここ・そこ・あそこ・どこ」
Main referent	Objects, things	Places, positions
Basic Chinese equivalents	這個、那個、那個、哪個	這裡、那裡、那裡、哪裡
「こ」 series	これ	ここ
「そ」 series	それ	そこ
「あ」 series	あれ	あそこ
「ど」 series	どれ	どこ
Close to the speaker	これ	ここ
Close to the listener／intermediate position	それ	そこ
Far from both	あれ	あそこ
Specific referent unknown	どれ	どこ
Typical question	Which one? Which item?	Where? Which location?
Common combinations	これが／それを／どれに	ここに／そこで／どこへ
Common travel situations	Choosing products or dishes, pointing to objects	Asking about toilets, stations, exits, meeting points
Example	田中さんの傘はどれですか	トイレはどこですか
Common confusion	Asking about a place as though choosing an object	Asking “where” when choosing among objects

▌「これ・それ・あれ・どれ」 vs 「ここ・そこ・あそこ・どこ」｜Objects and Things vs Places and Positions

The biggest difference between the two groups is not distance, but what is being asked about. 「どれ」 assumes that there are several objects that can be chosen from and that you need to identify which one. 「どこ」 is used to find a place. So 「田中さんの傘はどれですか」 asks which umbrella among several belongs to Tanaka, while 「トイレはどこですか」 asks for the location of the toilet. The other three work in the same way: 「それ」 refers to that object, 「そこ」 to that location, 「あれ」 to that distant object, and 「あそこ」 to that distant place.

• Example:  田中さんの傘はどれですか。
  Kana: たなかさんのかさはどれですか。
  Translation: Which umbrella is Tanaka’s?
  There are several umbrellas in front of you, and you need to identify one from among those objects, so 「どれ」 is used.
• Example:  トイレはどこですか。
  Kana: トイレはどこですか。
  Translation: Where is the restroom?
  The question is looking for the restroom’s location rather than choosing one object from several, so 「どこ」 is used.
• Example:  それは私の荷物です。
  Kana: それはわたしのにもつです。
  Translation: That is my luggage.
  「それ」 refers to a specific piece of luggage, so the focus is on “what that object is.”
• Example:  そこに荷物を置いてください。
  Kana: そこにもつをおいてください。
  Translation: Please put the luggage there.
  「そこ」 does not replace the luggage. It specifies where to put it, while 「荷物」 remains a separate element in the sentence.

▌Even When Looking for a Station, 「どれ」 and 「どこ」 Ask Different Things

If several buildings are visible in front of you, 「駅はどれですか」 is not grammatically wrong, but the question becomes “Which one of these buildings is the station?” 「駅はどこですか」, on the other hand, asks where the station is and does not require several visible candidates beforehand. In Chinese, the two may sometimes be translated as “車站是哪個／車站在哪裡,” but Japanese first separates “identifying which object something is” from “finding its location.”

• Example:  駅はどれですか。
  Kana: えきはどれですか。
  Translation: Which one is the station?
  For example, if you are looking down from a high place at several buildings, or looking at several photos or icons, this asks which candidate is the station. Because it asks “which one,” 「どれ」 is used.
• Example:  駅はどこですか。
  Kana: えきはどこですか。
  Translation: Where is the station?
  This sentence does not require several buildings to be visible first. It simply asks for the station’s location. When asking for directions while traveling in Japan, this is usually the 「どこ」 you need.

How Do You Use 「これ・それ・あれ・どれ」 While Traveling in Japan? Practical Shopping and Restaurant Dialogues

While traveling in Japan, 「これ・それ・あれ・どれ」 are especially common when it would be inconvenient to keep repeating the name of a product or dish. If you want a store employee to hand you a product, are looking at a menu and do not know which dish to choose, or see something on a distant shelf, you can use these four words directly as long as both people can tell what is being referred to. In a real situation, first look at the relationship between the object, the speaker, and the listener: use 「これ」 for something in your hand or near you, 「それ」 for something near the store employee or on the other person’s side, 「あれ」 for something some distance away from both people, and 「どれ」 when there are several options and you do not know which one. The same product can even change demonstratives depending on who is holding it. For example, a customer may first point to an item near the employee and say 「それ」, but once the employee picks it up, the employee may refer to the same item as 「これ」.

▌Situation ①｜Asking a Store Employee to Show You the Item Beside Them

A：それ、少し見せてもらえますか。
　　それ、すこしみせてもらえますか。
　　Could you show me that for a moment?

B：はい、これですね。
　　はい、これですね。
　　Yes, this one, right?

📌 Grammar Point: When the customer says the first sentence, the product is near the store employee, meaning it is on the listener’s side, so 「それ」 is used. Once the employee picks up the product and holds it, the same item is now close to the employee as the current speaker, so it becomes 「これ」 from the employee’s perspective. Japanese 「これ／それ」 are not fixed labels attached permanently to particular objects. They change according to the positions of the speaker, listener, and object. This type of shift is very common in department stores, drugstores, and clothing shops.

▌Situation ②｜Asking Which Dish Is Most Recommended at a Restaurant

A：この中で、おすすめはどれですか。
　　このなかで、おすすめはどれですか。
　　Which one of these do you recommend?

B：これが一番人気です。
　　これがいちばんにんきです。
　　This one is the most popular.

📌 Grammar Point: 「どれ」 is used when you do not know which one among several choices is being referred to. The range of choices on the menu is already clear, so there is no need to put the dish name after 「どれ」. You can simply ask 「おすすめはどれですか」. If the employee points directly at a menu image or a dish on their side, 「これ」 can be used in the answer. If you want to state the name of the item as well, you switch to 「どの料理」 or 「この料理」 rather than saying 「どれ料理」 or 「これ料理」.

▌Situation ③｜Asking About an Item on a Distant Shelf

A：あれも試着できますか。
　　あれもしちゃくできますか。
　　Can I try that one over there on as well?

B：はい、できます。お持ちしますね。
　　はい、できます。おもちしますね。
　　Yes, you can. I’ll bring it over.

📌 Grammar Point: If the customer and store employee are standing on the same side while the desired item is on a display shelf farther away, 「あれ」 can refer to the item that both can see but that is some distance away from both of them. If the product is actually beside the employee, even if it feels somewhat far from the customer, 「それ」 is more likely to be used. This means you cannot distinguish 「それ」 from 「あれ」 solely by asking how far the item is from the customer. You also need to consider where the employee is in relation to it.

Usage Notes:

1. 「これ・それ・あれ」 often change along with the location of an object in real travel situations. If the same product is in a store employee’s hand, a customer might call it 「それ」. Once the product is handed to the customer, the customer may then refer to it as 「これ」. If the product is originally sitting on a distant display shelf and both customer and employee are some distance away from it, it will first be 「あれ」. Rather than memorizing a fixed demonstrative for each object, it is more useful to look at which side the object occupies at the moment of speaking.
2. 「どれ」 is used to ask “which one” among existing options, so it is especially common in shopping and restaurant situations. For example, 「どれが一番人気ですか」 asks which item is the most popular, while 「どれにしますか」 asks which one someone will choose. If you want the product name to appear directly afterward, switch to 「どの＋noun」, as in 「どの商品が一番人気ですか」 or 「どのケーキにしますか」. The questions are similar in meaning; the difference is whether a noun directly follows the demonstrative.
3. While traveling in Japan, you will also often encounter people simply saying 「これください」 or 「これお願いします」. Both can be used while pointing at a product or dish to indicate “I’ll take this.” 「これください」 is more direct and is very common when buying something in a shop. 「これお願いします」 can be used when ordering, checking out, or asking an employee to handle a particular product. When both people can already see the same thing, there is no need to repeat the full product name every time.

How Do Japanese 「これ・それ・あれ」 Compare with Korean 「이것・그것・저것」?

Korean 「이것・그것・저것」 and Japanese 「これ・それ・あれ」 divide physical space in similar ways. 「이것」 refers to something close to the speaker, 「그것」 can refer to something close to the listener, and 「저것」 refers to something far from both the speaker and the listener. When actual objects are visible, you can therefore initially think of them as 「これ＝이것」「それ＝그것」「あれ＝저것」. In everyday Korean, the shortened forms 「이거・그거・저거」 are more common. For example, saying 「이거 주세요」 in a shop is very close to Japanese 「これをください」.

Once the two languages move into anaphoric reference, however, they no longer overlap completely. Korean 「이것」 and 「그것」 can both refer back to something already mentioned, and 「그것／그거」 in particular is often used to directly pick up prior context. Japanese, meanwhile, makes a further distinction between 「それ」 and 「あれ」: 「それ」 often picks up information that has just been mentioned, while 「あれ」 tends to connect to something both people already knew or to a shared memory. So in actual translation, you cannot automatically replace every 「그거」 with 「それ」, nor can every Japanese 「あれ」 automatically become 「저거」. You still need to see whether the sentence is referring to physical position or to information already present in the conversation. The National Institute of Korean Language’s Basic Korean Dictionary likewise lists 「이것」 as referring to something close to the speaker or something just mentioned, while 「그것」 can refer to something close to the listener or something mentioned previously.

◆ Similar Expression: 「이것／이거」

Korean 「이것」 refers to something close to the speaker and is the closest equivalent to Japanese 「これ」. In actual conversation, speakers generally do not keep using the full form 「이것」 and instead more often use the shortened 「이거」. You will commonly hear 「이거」 when someone is holding a product, pointing at food in front of them, or handing something to another person. 「이것」 can also refer to content mentioned just before, which resembles the discourse use of Japanese 「これ」. In everyday speech, however, 「이거」 remains the most common form.

• Example:  이거 얼마예요?
  Romanization: i-geo eol-ma-ye-yo?
  Translation: How much is this?
  When the product is in front of or near the speaker, 「이거」 can be used to ask its price. In Japanese, this is close to 「これ、いくらですか」.
• Example:  이거 한번 드셔 보세요.
  Romanization: i-geo han-beon deu-syeo bo-se-yo.
  Translation: Please try this.
  When the speaker offers food from their own side to the listener, 「이거」 is used. The spatial relationship is very similar to Japanese 「これ」.
• Example:  건강하게 지내는 것, 이것이 가장 중요해요.
  Romanization: geon-gang-ha-ge ji-nae-neun geot i-geo-si ga-jang jung-yo-hae-yo.
  Translation: Living a healthy life—this is the most important thing.
  Here, 「이것」 does not refer to a physical object in front of the speaker, but back to 「건강하게 지내는 것」. Both Korean 「이것」 and Japanese 「これ」 can bring previously mentioned content back into the discussion.

◆ Similar Expression: 「그것／그거」

Korean 「그것」 basically corresponds to Japanese 「それ」 and can refer to something close to the listener. In spoken Korean, it is usually shortened to 「그거」. For example, if the other person is holding a product, you can ask 「그거 뭐예요?」. However, the discourse use of 「그것／그거」 is even broader than its spatial use. Something discussed earlier, what the other person has just said, and even something both people already know may all be picked up with 「그거」. So Korean 「그거」 may correspond to Japanese 「それ」 in some contexts and may come closer to Japanese 「あれ」 in others. You cannot assign a fixed pairing simply because both are translated into Chinese as “那個.” The National Institute of Korean Language also explicitly lists 「그것」 as referring to something close to the listener as well as content that has already been mentioned.

• Example:  그거 뭐예요?
  Romanization: geu-geo mwo-ye-yo?
  Translation: What is that?
  「그거」 is used when the object is close to the listener, giving it almost the same spatial relationship as Japanese 「それ、何ですか」.
• Example:  그거 어디에서 샀어요?
  Romanization: geu-geo eo-di-e-seo sa-sseo-yo?
  Translation: Where did you buy that?
  If the other person is holding a bag, cup, or other object, the speaker can use 「그거」 to refer to something on the listener’s side. Japanese would usually use 「それ」 in the same spatial relationship.
• Example:  A：다음 달에 제주도에 갈 거예요. B：그거 좋네요.
  Romanization: A：da-eum dal-e je-ju-do-e gal geo-ye-yo. B：geu-geo jon-ne-yo.
  Translation: A: I’m going to Jeju Island next month.
  B: That sounds nice. 「그거」 refers to A’s just-mentioned plan to go to Jeju Island next month, not to a physical object. This type of anaphoric reference is close to Japanese 「それ」 in a response such as 「それはいいですね」.

◆ Similar Expression: 「저것／저거」

Korean 「저것」 refers to something far from both the speaker and the listener, and the spoken form is usually 「저거」. Its spatial use is very close to Japanese 「あれ」. When two people are together looking at a distant building, sign, product, or person, they can use 「저거」. This is also where directly mapping Japanese and Korean too rigidly becomes especially risky. Japanese 「あれ」 not only indicates physical distance but is also commonly used to call up a shared memory. Korean 「저거」, by contrast, is easiest to understand first as a demonstrative for actual physical distance. When talking about something from the past, Korean often uses 「그거」 to continue referring to a known topic, so Japanese 「あれ」 does not necessarily become Korean 「저거」.

• Example:  저거 뭐예요?
  Romanization: jeo-geo mwo-ye-yo?
  Translation: What is that over there?
  「저거」 is used when both speaker and listener are some distance from the target, making the spatial relationship similar to Japanese 「あれ、何ですか」.
• Example:  저거 보여요?
  Romanization: jeo-geo bo-yeo-yo?
  Translation: Can you see that over there?
  When both people are looking at a distant building, sign, or object, 「저거」 can point directly to it. In Japanese, the same situation would normally use 「あれ、見えますか」.
• Example:  저거 사고 싶어요.
  Romanization: jeo-geo sa-go si-peo-yo.
  Translation: I want to buy that over there.
  For example, if you and a store employee are standing on the same side looking at a product on a distant shelf, 「저거」 can identify the target. In Japanese, the same spatial relationship could be expressed as 「あれが欲しいです」 or 「あれを買いたいです」.

◆ Difference from 「これ・それ・あれ」:

When actual objects are visible, Japanese and Korean are easy to compare: 「これ／이것」 are both close to the speaker, 「それ／그것」 can both refer to something close to the listener, and 「あれ／저것」 both refer to something farther away from both people. What really needs to be learned separately is how they behave once the object is no longer physically present. Korean 「그것／그거」 very often picks up something mentioned earlier and can also be used for something both people already know, so its range does not necessarily stop at Japanese 「それ」. Japanese more clearly distinguishes 「それ」 from 「あれ」: 「それ」 tends to pick up information that has just entered the conversation, while 「あれ」 often calls up a shared memory.

For example, if two people talk about a restaurant they visited together last year, Japanese can say 「あれ、おいしかったですね」, using 「あれ」 to call the restaurant or food in their shared memory back into the conversation. In Korean, the same situation would usually sound more natural with 「그거 맛있었죠」 than 「저거 맛있었죠」 because what is being discussed is no longer a physically distant object but something both participants already know. In other words, for physical location you can first memorize 「これ＝이것、 それ＝그것、あれ＝저것」, but once you move into anaphoric reference or shared memory, you can no longer replace the three sets word for word.

When using Japanese 「これ・それ・あれ・どれ」 in actual conversation, there is no need to rush into translating the Chinese “這個、那個” first. If the object is physically present, simply look at which side it is closest to: use 「これ」 for the speaker’s side, 「それ」 for the listener’s side, 「あれ」 when it is far from both, and 「どれ」 when you do not know which one among several options is meant.

What tends to be more confusing is when the object or topic is no longer physically present. If something has just been mentioned in the preceding sentence and you want to continue talking about it, 「それ」 often appears. If both sides bring up a person, event, or experience they have known about for some time, 「あれ」 becomes more natural. 「これ」 can occasionally refer back to previous context as well, but it creates a sense of bringing that matter back in front of the speakers as the immediate topic. Once these three words operate in discourse, what matters is no longer the actual number of meters between people and an object, but how that matter currently exists within the conversation.

When you are unsure which kind of “that” to use, ask yourself two things first: Is the object visible right now? If it is not, was this just mentioned, or did both people already know about it? Judging 「それ」 and 「あれ」 this way is far more useful than memorizing two identical Chinese translations. Once you then move on to 「この・その・あの・どの」 and 「ここ・そこ・あそこ・どこ」, you will find that they are still following the same 「こ・そ・あ・ど」 system.

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