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そこ (soko) Japanese meaning: there (near listener) | Kotomora

そこ

そ

こ

Common word›JLPTN5›Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

there (near listener)

usually written using kana alone

Refers to a place relatively near the listener. Contrasts with ここ (near speaker) and あそこ (far from both).

See also: どこ · ここ · あそこ

そこ

に

座すわ

っ

て

も

いい

です

か

。

May I sit there (near you)?

2

there (place just mentioned); that place

usually written using kana alone

Refers to a place that was just mentioned in conversation or text.

昨日きのう、公こう園えんに行いきました。そこはとても静しずかでした。
I went to the park yesterday. That place was very quiet.

3

then; that point

usually written using kana alone

Refers to a point in a conversation or story just raised; often used to comment on or continue from that point.

そこが問もん題だいなんだ。
That's the problem.

4

archaic

Archaic pronoun for 'you', no longer used in modern Japanese.

古こ語ごでは「そこ」が「あなた」を意い味みすることがある。
In classical Japanese, そこ can mean 'you'.

Expressions

そんじょそこらanywhere; here and there · common; run-of-the-mill; ordinary
そこまでthat far; to that extent; so much · stop!; that's enough!; not one step further!

Grammar

ここ・そこ・あそこ・どこHere, there, over there, whereN5

Kanji

其that
処dispose, manage, deal with
所place, extent

Opposites

ここN5sense 1
そこ points to a place near the listener, while ここ points to a place near the speaker.
あそこN5sense 1
そこ refers to a place near the listener, while あそこ refers to a place far from both speaker and listener.

Don't confuse with

どこN5sense 1
そこ is a demonstrative meaning 'there', while どこ is the interrogative 'where', and learners sometimes mix up the ko-so-a-do forms.

Word family· 8

そこでN3
so; therefore; accordingly; then
そこらN1
around there; that area · that; that matter; that point · about that much; approximately that amount; thereabouts; (or) so
そこな
that; there
其処そこ許もと
that place; there · you

Written forms

そこUsage100%
Standard kana spelling; the word is usually written in kana.
其処そこUsage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; learners should use the kana spelling.
ソコUsage<1%
其所そこ
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; learners should use the kana spelling.

Etymology

Derived from the demonstrative そ (so-) combined with the locative suffix こ (ko). The exact historical development is uncertain, but it is part of the regular ko-so-a-do demonstrative system.

どこそこ

such-and-such a place; some place or other

Show 3 more

そこいら
around there; that area · that; that matter; that point · about that much; approximately that amount; thereabouts
そこかしこ
here and there; everywhere
そこここ
here and there; in places