そこで

そ

こ

で

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 2,000

Meanings

usually written using kana alone

A conjunction used to introduce a natural consequence, decision, or next action based on the preceding context. Common in both spoken and written Japanese.

雨あめが降ふってきた。そこで、傘かさをさした。
It started raining. So I opened my umbrella.
彼かれは遅ち刻こくした。そこで、会かい議ぎは延えん期きになった。
He was late. Therefore, the meeting was postponed.

Grammar

そこで・そのため・その結けっ果かso I did; because of that; as a resultN3

Kanji

其that
処dispose, manage, deal with

Related words

それでN4
それで is a more casual, everyday 'so/then' used for simple cause-and-effect, while そこで is a bit more formal and implies a deliberate action taken in response to the situation.
だからN4
だから is a direct, emphatic 'so/because' used when giving a reason, whereas そこで focuses on the next step or decision made after the preceding situation.
するとN4
すると introduces an unexpected or automatic result ('and then'), while そこで introduces a deliberate action the speaker chose to take.
したがってN3
従って is a formal, written 'therefore' used in logical arguments, while そこで is used more broadly in narrative to mark a resulting action.

Etymology

Derived from the demonstrative そこ (there) and the particle で (at/in), literally meaning 'at that place'. It developed into a conjunction meaning 'at that point' or 'thereupon'.