こちら / そちら / あちら / どちら
ENPolite directions / options
JA「こちら-シリーズ」(ていねい)
Explanation
The こちら-series is the polite version of これ-シリーズ/ここ-シリーズ. Used in business / formal contexts for direction, person reference, and choice.
Examples
JAこちらへ どうぞ。
ENThis way, please.
JAそちらの 本は 100円です。
ENThat book (over there by you) is 100 yen.
JAどちらが いいですか。
ENWhich (of two) is good?
JAおてあらいは どちらですか。
ENWhere is the restroom? (polite)
JAこちらは たなかさんです。
ENThis (person) is Mr. Tanaka.
JAトイレは そちらです。
ENThe restroom is that way.
JAどちらが 先生ですか。
ENWhich (one) is the teacher?
JAこちらは わたしの きょうしつです。
ENThis is my classroom.
JAりんごと バナナと、どちらが すきですか。
ENApple or banana, which do you like?
JAやまださんは あちらです。
ENYamada-san is over there.
Common mistakes
✗ こちはどこですか。
✓ こちらはどこですか。
こちら is the polite-direction form; the casual form is こっち. Dropping the ら yields a non-word. Pair こちら/そちら/あちら/どちら together as a polite series with ます-form predicates.
✗ ここへ どうぞ。
✓ こちらへ どうぞ。
こちら/そちら/あちら/どちら are the POLITE/FORMAL counterparts of ここ/そこ/あそこ/どこ. In service or business contexts (こちらへどうぞ = this way, please), the polite form is required. Plain ここ would be too casual.
✗ あちらへ どうぞ。
✓ こちらへ どうぞ。
Context: when guiding to the speaker's own side. こちら = toward the speaker; そちら = toward the listener; あちら = far from both. Service staff guiding a customer TO themselves use こちら. あちら would send them somewhere else entirely.
Register variants — both forms are correct
These forms differ in register, formality, or pragmatic context — not in grammaticality. Pick by context.
neutral spatial — direct location reference ここは どこ ですか。
polite spatial — こちら elevates the place / direction こちらは どこ ですか。
Both forms are grammatical. ここ asks plainly about location. こちら is the polite-direction form (also used for selection and politeness in business contexts).
Wrong / corrected pairs
✗ どちらは ペンですか。
✓ どちらが ペンですか。
Context: asking "which is the pen". Question word どちら takes が, never は.
✗ こちらに、どうぞ。
✓ こちらへ どうぞ。
Context: offering a seat to a guest. Direction toward listener uses へ; に would imply destination as a fixed point.