Is 彼の read あの, かれの, or かの? One spelling, three words to keep apart
Resolve the unusual spelling 彼の safely: it can record rare demonstrative あの, form the ordinary phrase かれの, or represent literary かの, but everyday demonstrative writing uses kana.
彼の is a real dictionary spelling, not a printing error, but it is rare. In the entry represented here, the reading is あの, the ordinary demonstrative normally written in kana. Modern dictionaries explicitly mark 彼の as a rare kanji form and mark the word itself as usually written in kana. For everyday “that N” phrases, write あの N.
The advanced problem is not the basic meaning of あの. It is resolving the same characters without silently choosing the wrong word. 彼の can be the common phrase 彼 plus the particle の, meaning “his.” かの is a separate pre-noun expression that can mean “that well-known” or serve as a formal, literary counterpart of あの. Dictionaries now treat demonstrative あの and literary かの as separate entries. The hesitation word あの, as in “um” or a gentle conversation opener, is separate again.
Three checks keep the readings apart. First, look for furigana or an explicit dictionary headword. Second, ask whether 彼 can refer to a previously identified man; if so, かれの is a normal grammatical parse. Third, test the register. A phrase such as かの有名な belongs readily in elevated narration, while a text message pointing out a photo normally uses あの写真. Context decides the reading, but kana makes the intended everyday word visible immediately.
An old caption reaches the editing desk
Kana and Jun are preparing labels for a neighborhood archive exhibition. A scanned caption from an older booklet prints 彼の above a photograph and supplies the reading あの. Kana records what the source actually says.
古い案内には、「彼の町並み」と書いて「あのまちなみ」と読む表記が残っています。This is one of the limited situations where preserving 彼の as あの has a purpose. The display is discussing a source spelling, and the reading is stated. The unusual form becomes evidence about the text rather than a learner’s decorative substitute for kana.
For the new visitor label, Jun chooses the unambiguous modern form.
あの写真は、駅前の広場で撮られたものです。The label means “that photograph,” so あの写真 is natural and easy to read. The rare kanji spelling adds no useful information. This remains true in ordinary messages and notes: write あの建物, あの店, and あの話 rather than converting あの to 彼の.
The same characters produce “his”
Jun then finds a modern draft with no furigana: 彼の写真は受付の横に飾ってあります. The previous sentence names photographer Sato, so the grammar supplies a different reading.
彼の写真は、受付の横に飾ってあります。Here 彼 is a third-person pronoun and の links him to 写真. The phrase is かれの写真, “his photograph.” Nothing in the sentence asks the reader to retrieve the rare あの spelling. This is why 彼の写真 is a poor everyday way to write demonstrative あの写真: the ordinary “his photograph” analysis is already available.
A short noun phrase can even remain ambiguous without context. 彼の作品 might theoretically be read as rare あの作品, literary かの作品, or the productive phrase かれの作品. Rather than guessing from the characters alone, inspect the source, neighboring sentences, furigana, date, and register. In your own modern prose, use kana to prevent the problem.
A plaque calls for かの
One exhibition panel deliberately imitates elevated historical narration. Its opening celebrates a cinema that once stood nearby.
かの有名な映画館は、この通りにありました。かの有名な is an established kind of formal or literary phrasing. Dictionaries treat this かの as its own word, with the “that well-known” sense. The form may appear as 彼の in dictionary or historical material, but writing かの makes the intended reading clear to a modern visitor.
At the information desk, another identical-sounding word appears, but it does not modify a noun or refer to the old cinema.
あの、展示室はどちらですか。The pause after あの and the request that follows identify a conversation opener. It is not the rare spelling 彼の, not possessive かれの, and not literary かの. In speech, grammar and intonation do the separating; in writing, the comma helps show the pause.
The practical rule is asymmetrical. When reading, keep three candidates open until context resolves 彼の: rare あの, ordinary かれの, and literary かの. When writing ordinary modern Japanese, remove the puzzle. Use あの for the demonstrative, 彼の for the genuinely possessive phrase when 彼 is natural, and かの when you intentionally want the formal or literary word.
Pop quiz
Kana is writing a new visitor label, not transcribing an old source. She means “that photograph over there,” and no man has been introduced. Which wording gives the clearest natural modern reading?
- A. あの写真は、入口の横にあります。
- B. かの写真は、入口の横にあります。
- C. 彼の写真は、入口の横にあります。
Show answer
Aあの写真は、入口の横にあります。
The intended word is the everyday demonstrative あの, so kana makes the reading immediate. 彼の写真 readily supports the ordinary かれのしゃしん, “his photograph,” reading, while かの gives the phrase an unnecessary formal or literary cast.
Language reference
Vocabulary
- 彼の
- rare kanji spelling of demonstrative あのpre-noun demonstrative; rare spelling
- あの
- that particular noun over there or in shared memorypre-noun demonstrative
- 彼
- he; a male third personpronoun
- かの
- that well-known or that, in formal or literary wordingpre-noun expression
- 表記
- written form or notationnoun
Grammar pattern
- あの + N
that particular N over there or that both people recognize
Form demonstrative あの + noun
Register neutral and ordinary in conversation and modern writing
- 彼 + の + N
his N
Form third-person pronoun 彼 + particle の + noun
Register neutral; whether 彼 itself is natural depends on the discourse and relationship
Meaning map
彼の
one written string requires lexical, grammatical, and register evidence before its reading is chosen
The demonstrative あの spelling is rare. Modern writers normally disambiguate by writing あの, 彼の, or かの according to the intended word.
A dictionary headword, historical transcription, or supplied furigana documents the rare demonstrative spelling
「彼の町並み」を「あのまちなみ」と読む。
Read 彼の町並み as ano machinami.
Dictionaries record 彼の as a rare kanji form of demonstrative あの, which is normally written in kana.
彼 refers to an identified man and の links him to the following noun
彼の写真は、受付の横にあります。
His photograph is beside reception.
The productive grammar 彼 + の gives the reading かれの and the possessive meaning his.
Elevated narration invokes a well-known person, place, work, or event
かの有名な映画館は、この通りにありました。
That celebrated cinema stood on this street.
かの is a separate word with a well-known sense and a formal or literary demonstrative sense.