Japanese

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Alternative spelling
彼の

Etymology

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Originally a compound of (a, distal pronominal marker) +‎ (no, genitive particle).

Pronunciation

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Adnominal

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あの (ano

  1. (deictically) that ... over there (far from the speaker and the addressee)
    あの(くるま)(みどり)です。
    Ano kuruma wa midori desu.
    That car over there is green.
  2. (anaphorically) that ... we both know (both the speaker and the addressee know)

Usage notes

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  • As an adnominal, あの must be followed by a noun or noun phrase.
  • あの is also used to refer to things and experiences that both the speaker and the listener have knowledge of. Compare the two following sentences,
    あの(ほん)はやすいですか?
    Ano hon wa yasui desu ka?
    Is that book (over there, which you and I can see) cheap?
    その(ほん)はやすいですか?
    Sono hon wa yasui desu ka?
    Is that book (I'm pointing to/near you/of yours) cheap? / Is that book which you (have/saw/were talking about) cheap?
  • The hiragana spelling (あの) is preferred to the kanji spelling (彼の), which is rarely used.
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See also

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Interjection

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あの (ano

  1. similar to English er or umm, said when hesitating in speech
  2. similar to English uh, space filler or pause during conversation
    あの…そうですね、…
    ano…sō desu ne,…
    um... well, yes,...

Usage notes

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The (no) sound is often lengthened as in あのう, あのぉ, あのー (anō).

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