彼 and あちら

[thesuker]

On my android app, while searching for the word 医者, I found the example 彼は医者です. So, as I didn't have the foggiest idea of what 彼 meant, I looked it up, and in the example, it's read as かれ, but in the definition of the kanji 彼, it's read as あれ. So, is it a kanji with more than one pronuntiation, depending on context? Also, if 彼 means 'that person over there' (with the かれ pronuntiation) , what's the difference with あちら?

 

[Toritoribe]

but in the definition of the kanji 彼, it's read as あれ.

That's obsolete.

So, is it a kanji with more than one pronuntiation, depending on context?

Of course, yes.

Also, if 彼 means 'that person over there' (with the かれ pronuntiation) , what's the difference with あちら?

かれ【彼】の英語・英訳 - 和英辞書 - goo辞書
あちら【彼方】の英語・英訳 - 和英辞書 - goo辞書

 

[thesuker]

so あちら is more generic than 彼? 彼 is specifically that person over there, and 彼方 that over there, which can refer to a person or a thing?

I'm using Kore/Kono, Sore/Sono and Are/Ano as reference, specifically this line:

person

こちら[kochira] そちら[sochira] あちら[achira]

 

[Toritoribe]

You can use あちら. The kanji 彼方 is almost never used for あちら, at least nowadays. It's quite the same as 此方 which is not used for こちら.

 

[thesuker]

So would

彼は。。。。。。です
あちらは。。。。。です

Both be correct to say 'that person over there is....'

 

[Toritoribe]

彼 is not the same as あちら. Did you read the linked page in my previous post?

かれ【彼】の英語・英訳 - 和英辞書 - goo辞書

 

[thesuker]

Yeah, I did, but just beginning to learn Japanese and the examples are a bit complex (^_^. What I understand is 彼=that person over there, and あちら=that over there. But then I dont see the difference between あれ and あちら (also あちら is for direction)

Or maybe its that あちら means over there and combined with something means 'something over there'?

 

[Toritoribe]

彼 means "he", not "a person over there".

 

[thesuker]

Now I feel stupid :shy: I've only done 私 and あなた up to now. Guess I won't be forgetting the meaning of 彼 anytime soon. どうもありがとう for your patience with me

 

[lanthas]

Another meaning of 彼 is "boyfriend", so "彼がいますか" can mean "is he there?" or "do you have a boyfriend?" depending on context. Same goes for the female variant, 彼女 (かのじょ), which can mean "she" or "girlfriend".

 

[thesuker]

You had to go and use が I'm guessing 彼がいますか because we're asking about the boyfriend, and 彼はいますか if we're asking specifically if he's there, and not anywhere else (kind of 'Is he THERE'? in English)?

 

[lanthas]

You have a point there. When asking "do you have a boyfriend" (any person at all), it'll indeed be better to use は, while using が to ask about a specific person being present.

 

[Toritoribe]

彼はいますか？ can mean "Do you have a boyfriend?" in some context, for instance, when は is used as a contrastive marker.

A: 結婚していますか？
B: いえ、独身です。
A: 彼はいますか？
B: はい、います。

彼氏 or 恋人 would be more common in this meaning, though.

 

[thesuker]

Would 彼は彼氏ですか be correct as an alternative to 彼はいますか ?

 

[Toritoribe]

彼は彼氏ですか means "Is he your boyfriend?"

 

[thesuker]

Yeah realized it a while ago. Its something id say if her boyfriend were around or the topic of conversation.

 

[Toritoribe]

彼が彼氏ですか is used in that situation.

 

[thesuker]

が because the info you want is if HE is your boyfriend, and not if he's a boyfriend,brother,etc?

 

[Toritoribe]

Exactly. The emphasis/The most important information you want to convey is put before が and after は.

 

[thesuker]

In the dialogue you posted before,

A: 結婚していますか？
B: いえ、独身です。
A: 彼はいますか？
B: はい、います。

は is used as a contrastive marker. In contrast with what exactly? The first question?

 

[Mike Cash]

You're going to find that Japanese has oodles and oodles of pronouns....and goes out its way not to use them.

Seriously, I practically never use second or third person pronouns.

 

[Toritoribe]

In the dialogue you posted before,

A: 結婚していますか？
B: いえ、独身です。
A: 彼はいますか？
B: はい、います。

は is used as a contrastive marker. In contrast with what exactly? The first question?

Right.