ら
Meanings
Adds a plural or group sense, especially after pronouns, names, or words for people. It is not a general English-style plural marker and can sound casual or slightly rough with some nouns.
They are waiting in front of the station.
We want to take part in that plan too.
A bound suffix-like element in words such as ここら and そこら, giving an approximate area, direction, point, or amount. This use is limited to established forms rather than freely attachable to any noun.
There are many old shops around here.
I think you can buy it for around ten thousand yen.
Limited, fossilized use after an adjective stem, as in 清ら. It is not a productive suffix in ordinary modern speech and often has a literary or elevated feel.
See also: 清ら
Pure water flows down from the mountain.
Usage patterns
- 〈人〉らhe/she and the others; the group including 〈人〉
They (he and the others) were playing soccer in the park.
- 〈場所〉ら辺around 〈場所〉; in that general area
The station should be somewhere around there.
Expressions
- オイラーの等式Euler's identity; Euler's equation