こら

also: ごるぁ

こ

ら

Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

hey!; oi!; stop that!

Used to scold or reprove someone, often with a sharp tone. Common when catching someone misbehaving.

こら、そこで何なにをしている！
Hey! What are you doing there?!

2

hey!; oi!; excuse me!

Used to call out to someone to get their attention, often in a rough or familiar way.

こら、ちょっと待まってくれ。
Hey, wait a minute.

See all 11 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

こら、〈動どう詞し〉なHey, don't <verb>! — used to scold someone caught doing something wrong
こら、そこで遊あそぶな。
Hey, don't play there!
こら、〈人ひと〉Hey, you there! — used to call out roughly to someone to get their attention
こら、そこの学がく生せい!
Hey, you there, student!

Related words

おい
おい is a general casual call to get someone's attention, while こら carries a sharper scolding or reproving tone.
ちょっとN5sense 2
ちょっと is a milder, more polite way to get someone's attention, whereas こら is blunt and often rude.
どら
こら is used to scold or reprimand someone sharply, whereas どら is simply a rough call for attention without necessarily implying rebuke.

Don't confuse with

これN5
こら is a stronger, more overtly scolding interjection, while これ can be milder though still impatient in tone.

Written forms

こらUsage70%
Standard hiragana spelling for this interjection.
コラUsage30%
Katakana variant often used for emphasis or in manga.
ゴルァ
Rough, emphatic variant used in very casual or aggressive contexts, often in fiction.

Etymology

The origin is uncertain; it is a native Japanese interjection used for calling out or scolding.