それ

それ is a **demonstrative pronoun** meaning "that" or "it." It belongs to the こそあど (ko-so-a-do) system of demonstratives in Japanese and is used in two main ways.

Referring to something near the listener

When something is physically close to the person you are speaking with (but not close to you), use それ to refer to it. This contrasts with これ (this – near the speaker) and あれ (that over there – far from both).

Referring to something previously mentioned

それ is also common to refer back to something that was just mentioned in the conversation – similar to English "it" or "that."

それ vs. その

While それ stands alone as a pronoun (replacing a noun), その is used before a noun as a modifier meaning "that (noun)."

In the first sentence, それ replaces the noun entirely. In the second, その modifies ほん本.