Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "This" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "this", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
こちら
こちら (kochira)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
此岸
しがん (shigan)
C2 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "this" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between こちら and 此岸.
In Japanese, こちら (こちら (kochira)) is typically associated with "this way, this place; this person (polite)" (Syllabus Level: N5) and represents Polite equivalent of これ.
On the other hand, 此岸 (しがん (shigan)) maps to "this shore, the mortal world" (Syllabus Level: C2) and represents Essential structural term in CEFR C2 vocabulary syllabus.. A literal translation of "this" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "こちら"
こちらへどうぞ。 / こちらが私の母です。
Please come this way. / This is my mother.
Bilingual Context for "此岸"
私は此岸に興味があります。
I am interested in this shore, the mortal world.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: " ＿＿＿ へどうぞ。 / ＿＿＿ が私の母です。" (Meaning: "Please come this way. / This is my mother.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "こちら" fits here because it means "this way, this place; this person (polite)" in the context of: "Please come this way. / This is my mother.". "此岸" represents "this shore, the mortal world".