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その人
sono hito
that person
その人は私の友達です。
That person is my friend.
formal
A pronoun referring to a person previously mentioned or known in context, equivalent to 'that person' or 'he/she' depending on context.
その人は誰ですか？
Who is that person?
その人は有名な作家です。
That person is a famous writer.
Used to refer to someone already identified in the conversation. More formal than あの人 or この人.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Distinguishing その人 from あの人 and この人
その人 refers to someone already mentioned or known in context (like 'that person'). あの人 refers to someone distant from both speaker and listener (like 'that person over there'). この人 refers to someone near the speaker (like 'this person').
Gold Rule
Avoid ambiguity in writing
In formal writing, use その人 only when the referent is clear from prior context. Otherwise, use full names or titles to avoid confusion.
Word Origin
Combination of その (sono, 'that') + 人 (hito, 'person'). The demonstrative その indicates something distant from the speaker but known to the listener.
Usage Notes
1. その人 is more formal than あの人 (which can sound distant) but less formal than 第三者 (daisansha, 'third party'). 2. In written language, it may appear in contexts where the person is already introduced or implied. 3. Avoid using in very casual speech where 例の人 (rei no hito) might be used for someone already known.
Word Breakdown
その
that (near listener)
demonstrative人
person
noun和英辞典