Polite demonstrative pronoun referring to a person, object, or direction near the speaker. Often used to refer to a person respectfully, similar to こちら.
This is my mother.
Please come this way.
"There is no mistake in what I say," the samurai said to the person of lower status.
Standard modern spelling.
Rarely used kanji form.
Compound of この (this) and 方 (direction/person). The archaic first-person usage developed from a humble reference to oneself as 'this person'.