Used as a na-adjective to describe something of the same type or nature as previously mentioned. Often appears in formal or written contexts.
We don't carry that kind of product.
That kind of thing will not happen again.
彼はそのような問題に詳しい。
He is knowledgeable about such problems.
そのような事が二度と起こらないようにします。
We will make sure such a thing never happens again.
In such a case, please contact us.
Please do it that way.
そんな is the casual, conversational counterpart of そのよう, which sounds more formal and is often used in writing.
こんな points to something close to the speaker (this kind of), while そのよう points to something already mentioned or associated with the listener (that kind of), and is more formal.
あのよう describes something distant from both speaker and listener (that kind of, over there), whereas そのよう refers back to something just mentioned in the conversation.
Kanji form; rarely used in modern writing.
Archaic kanji form using 其; very rare.
Compound of その (that) and よう (appearance, manner). The kanji 様 is used for よう, but the word is now predominantly written in kana.