こちら、そちら、あちら、どちら

こちら, そちら and あちら are "this way", "that way" and "over that way", and どちら asks "which way" or "where". They are the polite versions of ここ, そこ, あそこ and どこ, with the same three distances, and you hear them in shops, offices and on the phone.

• こちら – this way, here, near the speaker
• そちら – that way, there, near the listener
• あちら – over that way, away from both
• どちら – which way, where

Introducing people

こちら also points at a person, politely. It is how you introduce someone; このひとこの人 would sound offhand.

どちら for "which of two"

どちら also asks "which" when there are two things to choose from. For three or more, the word is どれ.

• × 三つの中でどちらがいいですか → 三つの中でどれがいいですか

Usage notes

These go beyond pointing at a place or a direction.

Your side and our side

On the phone and in business, そちら stands for the person you are talking to and the people with them, and こちら for you and yours.

こっち, そっち, あっち, どっち