A1 Expression Formell 1 Min. Lesezeit

こちらへどうぞ

Kochira e dozo

This way, please

Jetzt üben

Phrase in 30 Seconds

A polite way to invite someone to follow you or move to a specific location.

  • Means: Please come this way.
  • Used in: Shops, restaurants, or offices to guide guests.
  • Don't confuse: Do not use with friends in casual settings.
Polite gesture + 'This way' = Professional service

Erklärung auf deinem Niveau:

This is a polite way to say 'Please come this way.' Use it when you are working or helping someone find their seat.
Used in service settings, this phrase combines the demonstrative 'kochira' with the polite particle 'e' and the invitation 'douzo'. It is the standard way to guide guests in Japan.
This expression serves as a functional tool for maintaining social harmony. By directing someone with 'kochira e douzo', you demonstrate professional awareness and respect for the guest's comfort, which is essential in Japanese hospitality.
The phrase functions as a linguistic marker of the 'omotenashi' ethos. It effectively manages the spatial relationship between host and guest, ensuring that the guest feels guided rather than commanded. It is a quintessential example of 'keigo' (polite language) in action.
Linguistically, 'kochira e douzo' utilizes the deictic 'kochira' to establish a shared spatial frame of reference. It functions as a directive speech act softened by the polite 'douzo', mitigating the potential imposition of guiding another person. This reflects the Japanese preference for indirectness in social navigation.
This phrase encapsulates the intersection of spatial deixis and social hierarchy. By employing the distal-proximal 'kochira', the speaker creates a polite vector for the interlocutor's movement. It is a highly conventionalized formula that minimizes face-threatening acts by framing the movement as an invitation rather than an order, reflecting deep-seated cultural norms regarding interpersonal distance and service-oriented communication.

Bedeutung

Politically directing someone to a specific direction.

🌍

Kultureller Hintergrund

Pointing with a finger is considered rude. Always use an open hand when gesturing. The phrase is often accompanied by a slight bow.

💡

Use your hand

Always gesture with an open hand to be polite.

💡

Use your hand

Always gesture with an open hand to be polite.

Teste dich selbst

Which is the most polite way to guide a customer?

Choose the best option:

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: こちらへどうぞ

This is the standard polite expression for guiding someone.

🎉 Ergebnis: /1

Visuelle Lernhilfen

Aufgabensammlung

2 Aufgaben
Wähle die richtige Antwort Fill Blank

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort:
Which is the most polite way to guide a customer? Choose A1

Choose the best option:

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: こちらへどうぞ

This is the standard polite expression for guiding someone.

🎉 Ergebnis: /2

Häufig gestellte Fragen

1 Fragen

Yes, it is very appropriate for superiors.

Verwandte Redewendungen

🔗

お席へどうぞ

specialized form

Please go to your seat.

🔗

こちらです

similar

It is this way.

Wo du es verwendest

🍽️

Restaurant

Waiter: いらっしゃいませ。こちらへどうぞ。

formal
🏢

Office

Secretary: 会議室はこちらへどうぞ。

formal

Einprägen

Eselsbrücke

Imagine a waiter holding a tray, pointing to a table and saying 'Co-chi-ra' (Coach-era) - 'Come here, era!'

Visuelle Assoziation

A polite butler bowing slightly with an open hand gesture toward an open door.

Story

You are a new waiter. You see a guest. You bow. You say 'Kochira e douzo' and lead them to the window seat.

In Other Languages

Similar to 'This way, please' in English or 'Par ici, s'il vous plaît' in French.

Word Web

こちらどうぞ案内お客様席

Herausforderung

Practice saying this phrase 10 times while gesturing with an open hand.

Review in 1 day, then 3 days, then 7 days.

Aussprache

Stress Evenly stressed.

Pronounced as 'e' like in 'egg'.

Formalitätsspektrum

Formell
こちらへどうぞ。

こちらへどうぞ。 (Guiding someone.)

Neutral
こちらに来てください。

こちらに来てください。 (Guiding someone.)

Informell
こっち来て。

こっち来て。 (Guiding someone.)

Umgangssprache
こっちこっち！

こっちこっち！ (Guiding someone.)

The phrase evolved from the need to provide clear, polite guidance in traditional Japanese architecture, where rooms were often partitioned by sliding doors. It became a standard way to bridge the gap between private and public space.

Edo Period:

Wusstest du?

The word 'kochira' is a polite version of 'koko' (here).

Kulturelle Hinweise

Pointing with a finger is considered rude. Always use an open hand when gesturing.

“Use an open palm towards the direction.”

The phrase is often accompanied by a slight bow.

“Bow slightly while gesturing.”

Gesprächseinstiege

“

How do you guide a guest to a table?

Häufige Fehler

✗

ここへどうぞ

✓

こちらへどうぞ

wrong register
While 'koko' means 'here', it is too direct and lacks the polite nuance of 'kochira' (this direction).

L1 Interference

0 1

In Other Languages

Spanish Very Similar

Por aquí, por favor.

Japanese requires a specific polite particle 'e'.

French Very Similar

Par ici, s'il vous plaît.

Japanese is more formal and ritualized.

German moderate

Bitte hier entlang.

Japanese focuses on the direction rather than the path itself.

Japanese n/a

こちらへどうぞ

N/A

Arabic moderate

تفضل من هنا

Arabic uses 'from here' while Japanese uses 'towards this side'.

Spotted in the Real World

📺

(2019)

“こちらへどうぞ”

Guiding a new housemate.

Leicht verwechselbar

こちらへどうぞ vs. ここへどうぞ

Learners think 'koko' means 'here' so it should work.

Use 'kochira' for polite direction.

Häufig gestellte Fragen (1)

Yes, it is very appropriate for superiors.

usage contexts

Learning Path

Prerequisites

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