あちら

also: あっち · あち

あ

ち

ら

Common wordJLPTN5Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

that way; that direction; over there

usually written using kana alone

Refers to a direction or area distant from both speaker and listener. Part of the ko-so-a-do system (こちら, そちら, あちら, どちら).

See also: こちら · そちら · どちら

駅えきはあちらです。
The station is that way.
あちらに見みえるのが富ふ士じ山さんです。
What you can see over there is Mt. Fuji.

2

usually written using kana alone

Refers to a thing physically distant from both speaker and listener, or something known to both but not visible. More polite than あれ.

あちらの方ほうがおいしそうですね。
That one looks more delicious.
あちらが私わたしの傘かさです。
That is my umbrella.

3

that person; he; she

usually written using kana alone

Polite way to refer to a person distant from both speaker and listener, or someone not present but known to both. More respectful than あの人.

あちらが山やま田だ様さまでいらっしゃいます。
That person over there is Mr./Ms. Yamada.
あちらはどなたですか。
Who is that person?

4

there; over there; abroad

usually written using kana alone

Refers to a place distant from both speaker and listener. Can also mean a foreign country, especially a Western nation, in certain contexts.

あちらで少すこし休やすみましょう。
Let's rest over there for a bit.
彼かれはあちらで生うまれ育そだった。
He was born and raised abroad.

See all 127 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉はあちらですused to point out that a place or item is over there
出で口ぐちはあちらです。
The exit is over there.
あちらの〈人ひと〉a polite way to refer to a person who is over there
あちらの方かたはどなたですか。
Who is that person over there?

Grammar

こ・そ・あ・どthis, that, that over there, whichN5

Kanji

彼he, that, the
方direction, person, alternative

Related words

あの方かたN5
あちら is an even more indirect, gender-neutral way to refer to a person (often used in business or when pointing vaguely), while あの方 directly and respectfully names a specific person as 'that person.'
彼か方なたN1
あちら is the plain, conversational word for 'over there', while 彼方 belongs to literary or poetic language.

Opposites

こちらN5
あちら points to a place, thing, or person far from both speaker and listener, while こちら points to one near the speaker.

Politeness

あれplainN5sense 2
あちら is the politer way to refer to a distant thing, while あれ is the plain, everyday word for the same referent.
あの人ひとplainsense 3
あちら is a more respectful way to refer to a person not present, whereas あの人 is the neutral, casual equivalent.
向むこうplainN5
あちら is the polite, formal way to say 'over there' or 'the other side', while 向こう is the everyday, more casual word for the same idea.

Don't confuse with

あなたN5
貴方（あなた）means 'you', while 彼方（あなた）is an unrelated word meaning 'yonder' or 'the far side'.
そちらN5
そちら refers to a place or thing near the listener, whereas あちら refers to something away from both speaker and listener, so learners often mix up the two.
こちらN5
こちら refers to what is near the speaker, whereas あちら refers to something far from both speaker and listener.

Written forms

あちらUsage40%
Standard polite form; the most common spelling for this word.
あっちUsage57%
Casual, colloquial form; very common in informal speech.
アッチUsage2%
アチラUsage1%
彼方
rarely-used kanji form
- あちら
  Rarely used kanji form; almost always written in kana.
- あち
  out-dated reading
- あっち
あち
out-dated reading
Obsolete kana form; not used in modern Japanese.

Etymology

Derived from the demonstrative root あ (a) + ち (chi, directional suffix) + ら (ra, plural/approximate suffix). The form あっち is a contracted colloquial variant.