The meaning of kono (この、此の) in Japanese and how to use it

This article will give you all of the knowledge you need on the Japanese word kono, including its Japanese definition and translation, usage, example sentences, and more!

Contents

What does kono mean?

The Japanese word kono (この、此の) means this. You use kono to identify a certain object or person close at hand, or to talk about something you just mentioned. Kono is usually written in the hiragana この (the kanji is rarely used).

How to use kono

In most cases, kono precedes a noun.

Kono ki (この木) = This tree

Kono machi (この街) = This town

Below, we take a look at some examples of the various ways you can use kono in Japanese.

To make it easier for you, I have written each sentence in full Japanese kanji on the first line, followed by roman letters (romaji), and hiragana, with the English meaning coming last. I have also highlighted the new word in bold.

Example sentences using kono

この傘はいくらですか？
Kono kasa wa ikura desu ka?
このかさはいくらですか？
How much is this umbrella?

この気持ちは何だろう？
Kono kimochi wa nandarou?
このきもちはなんだろう？
What is this feeling, I wonder?

この人は誰だっけ？
Kono hito wa dare dakke?
このひとはだれだっけ？
Who is this person again?

この絵画はすごく綺麗ですね
Kono kaiga wa sugoku kirei desu ne.
このかいがはすごくきれいですね。
This painting is so beautiful.

Kono aida = Recently

The phrase kono aida (この間、このあいだ) means recently or the other day.

There’s no exact rule about how far back you can go for something to still qualify as kono aida, but my wife tells me that I use it too often for things that happened months ago!

You may therefore want to use this expression for something very recent.

この間、友達とディズニーランドに行ってきた。
Kono aida, tomodachi to dizuniirando ni itte kita.
このあいだ、ともだちとでぃずにーらんどにいってきた。
I recently went to Disneyland with some friends.

この間、試験を受けた。
Kono aida, shiken wo uketa.
このあいだ、しけんをうけた。
I took an exam the other day.

Kono goro = These days

Kono goro (この頃、このごろ) also means recently, but for something that is ongoing rather than a single event in the past. These days might therefore be a better translation to remember for kono goro.

この頃は風が強い。
Kono goro wa kaze ga tsuyoi.
このごろはかぜがつよい。
It’s windy these days.

この頃、中々運動を出来ていない。
Kono goro, nakanaka undou wo dekiteinai.
このごろ、なかなかうんどうをできていない。
I just haven’t been able to exercise lately.

Related terms

Sono (その、其の) is the Japanese word for that. I wrote a lesson about it here.

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Rohan

Rohan is a professional Japanese translator and the author behind Tanukiki.com, a blog that offers Japanese language tips and insights on life in Japan.

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