also: どっち
駅はどちらですか。
Which way is the station?
Where is the exit?
Used when choosing between two alternatives. どちら is polite; どっち is casual.
Which would you like, coffee or tea?
Which one is better?
Polite way to ask 'who', often used in formal contexts or when referring to a person indirectly. Commonly seen in どちら様.
See also: どちら様
Excuse me, but who are you?
Who is calling, please?
Which do you like more, coffee or tea?
Where is the station?
誰 is the plain word for 'who', while どちら is the polite way to ask the same thing.
どちら is the more polite or formal way to ask 'where' or 'which direction,' while どこ is the plain, everyday form.
どちら asks 'which' when choosing between only two items, while どの asks 'which' among three or more.
そちら is a statement about the listener's side, while どちら is the question form asking which direction, place, or one, and the similar sound leads learners to confuse them.
こちら names a specific direction/place/thing near the speaker, while どちら is the question word asking 'which one' or 'where'.
Rarely used kanji form; the word is usually written in kana.