Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "That" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "that", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
そちら
そちら (sochira)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
そのため
そのため (sono tame)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "that" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between そちら and そのため.
In Japanese, そちら (そちら (sochira)) is typically associated with "that way, that place; that person (polite)" (Syllabus Level: N5) and represents Polite equivalent of それ.
On the other hand, そのため (そのため (sono tame)) maps to "for that reason, therefore" (Syllabus Level: N4) and represents A conjunction used to indicate a cause-and-effect relationship, where the preceding statement is the reason for the following one. More formal than 「だから」.. A literal translation of "that" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "そちら"
そちらの天気はどうですか。 / 彼はそちらにいますか。
How is the weather there (near you)? / Is he over there (near you)?
Bilingual Context for "そのため"
昨日は雨が降った。そのため、運動会は中止になった。
It rained yesterday. For that reason, the sports day was cancelled.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: " ＿＿＿ の天気はどうですか。 / 彼は ＿＿＿ にいますか。" (Meaning: "How is the weather there (near you)? / Is he over there (near you)?")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "そちら" fits here because it means "that way, that place; that person (polite)" in the context of: "How is the weather there (near you)? / Is he over there (near you)?". "そのため" represents "for that reason, therefore".