JLPT N3Particle

Furigana

こそPrecisely; this very

こそ strongly singles out the expression before it as the especially important, correct, or decisive one. It often carries the force of “precisely this,” “this very one,” or “this above the alternatives.”

What the emphasis does

こそ does more than introduce information. It selects one person, thing, time, reason, or condition and presents it as the one that truly matters. The surrounding context should make the competing expectation or alternative clear.

Direct focus and decisive reasons

派は手でな才さい能のうではなく、毎まい日にちの練れん習しゅうこそ大たい切せつだ。

What matters is precisely daily practice, not flashy talent.

計けい画かくは一いち度ど失しっ敗ぱいした。だからこそ、問もん題だい点てんがはっきり見みえた。

The plan failed once. Precisely because of that, the problems became clear.

自じ分ぶんで経けい験けんしてこそ、その難むずかしさが分わかる。

Only by experiencing it yourself can you understand how difficult it is.

Returning the same sentiment

A

今日きょうは手伝てつだってくれて、ありがとう。

Thanks for helping today.

B

こちらこそ、声こえをかけてくれてありがとう。

No, thank you for inviting me.

こちらこそ naturally returns thanks, an apology, or a greeting rather than merely repeating it.

What happens to other particles

When the focused expression would normally carry the subject marker が or object marker を, こそ normally replaces that particle. Other particles generally remain before it, producing combinations such as にこそ and でこそ.

Focus with subject and other roles

この本ほんこそ、今いまの私わたしに必ひつ要ようだった。

This book was exactly what I needed now.

The focused book would otherwise be marked as the subject.

あなたにこそ、この話はなしを聞きいてほしい。

You are the very person I want to hear this story.

The particle marking the person remains before the focus marker.

Direct emphasis and cleft focus

こそ attaches directly to the item being strongly affirmed. By contrast, the cleft pattern identifies a value through a whole “the one that ... is ...” structure. Contrastive は can also set alternatives against each other, but it usually lacks the strong affirmative force of “this is precisely the one.”

私わたしが探さがしていたのは、この本ほんだ。

The book I was looking for is this one.

This is a cleft sentence identifying the answer, rather than directly marking the book with strong rhetorical emphasis.

More examples

今いまこそ、行こう動どうを起おこすべきだ。

Now is precisely the time to take action.

部ぶ下かではなく、私わたしこそ責せき任にんを取とるべきです。

I, not my staff, should take responsibility.

この仕し事ごとは彼かれにこそ任まかせたい。

He is exactly the person I want to entrust this job to.

困こん難なんな時ときだからこそ、冷れい静せいさが必ひつ要ようだ。

It is precisely because times are difficult that we need calm judgment.

実じっ際さいに使つかってこそ、この道どう具ぐの良よさが分わかる。

Only by actually using this tool can you appreciate how good it is.

こちらこそ、お会あいできて光こう栄えいです。

The pleasure is mine.

今日きょうこそレポートを終おわらせる。

Today, I am definitely going to finish the report.