► 副助詞
所 [(1)どころ] meaning: just rank: 2
☆ 彼の体臭は少し臭うどころではない ⇨ His BO doesn’t just smell a little
☆ 彼は頭が良いどころじゃなくて、正真正銘の天才だ ⇨ He is not just smart, but is a real genius
► 接続助詞
所 [ところ] [liter] meaning: when rank: 2
☆ インターネットで調べたところ、私は幾つかの情報を得た ⇨ When I did some research on internet I got some information (☛ Often written as 処 as well)
☆ ボタンを押したところ爆発した ⇨ When I pressed the button, it exploded (☛ Often written as 処 as well)
☆ 実験をしてみたところ、予想とは全く違う結果が出た ⇨ When we did a test, we got totally unexpected results (☛ Often written as 処 as well)
► 名詞
所 [ところ] [所だった] meaning: almost rank: 1
☆ もう少しで勝てるところだったのに！ ⇨ We almost had it! We could’ve won it!
☆ もう少しで忘れるところだった ⇨ I was almost at the point of forgetting about it. I almost forgot about it
☆ もう少しで車に跳ねられるところだった ⇨ I was almost at the point of getting run over by a car. I almost got run over by a car
所 [ところ] meaning: moment rank: 1
☆ 丁度いいところに彼が通りがかった ⇨ He passed by just when we needed him
☆ 今のところ全て順調だ ⇨ Everything is fine at this moment
☆ 今日の所はこの辺にしておこう ⇨ Let’s stop around here for today. Let’s call it a day today
☆ 今着いたところです ⇨ I just got here
☆ 今部屋の掃除をしてるところだよ ⇨ I’m cleaning up my room right now
所 [ところ] [早い所] [coll] meaning: moment rank: 1
☆ 早いところ片付けよう ⇨ Let’s get it over with as soon as we can
所 [ところ] meaning: part rank: 1
☆ 彼は優しい所もある ⇨ He has a sweet side too
☆ 私が見た限りでは特に変わった所は見られなかった ⇨ As far as I saw there wasn’t anything strange
☆ 簡単な所から先に片付けよう ⇨ Let’s take care of the easy parts first
所 [ところ] meaning: place rank: 1
☆ いつもの所で待ってるから ⇨ I will be waiting for you at the usual spot
☆ 痛い所はありますか？ ⇨ Is there anywhere that hurts?
☆ 私の職場には自転車を置く所が無い ⇨ There’s no space to put my bicycle in my workplace
☆ 私は友達の所に数日泊まった ⇨ I stayed at my friend’s place for a few days
☆ 食料品はいつも同じ所で買う ⇨ I buy my groceries always at the same place, store
所 [ところ] [御所] meaning: place rank: 1
☆ 御所と御名前を御記入下さい ⇨ Please write your address and name
所 [ところ] meaning: point rank: 1
☆ ここが一番肝心な所だ ⇨ This is the most important point
☆ この街は大き過ぎないけど小さ過ぎない所が魅力だ ⇨ What is great about this town is that it is not too big but it is not too small
☆ よく分からない所が幾つか有ります ⇨ There are a couple of points that I don’t really understand
所 [ところ] meaning: scene rank: 1
☆ ドラマの第一話は主人公が敵に捕まる所で終わる ⇨ The first episode of the drama ends when the protagonist gets captured by the enemy
☆ 夢はいつも良い所の前で終わる ⇨ Dreams always end right before the good part
☆ 私は車が轢き逃げする所を目撃した ⇨ I witnessed a car hit someone and ran
所 [ところ] [coll] meaning: situation rank: 1
☆ 彼はさっき帰ったところだ ⇨ He left a few minutes ago
所 [ところ] meaning: content rank: 2
☆ 思うところがあって仕事を辞めることにした ⇨ I decided to quit my job because something I am thinking about
☆ 私が聞いたところでは、そういうことではなかった ⇨ According to what I heard, that was not what happened
☆ 私の考えるところでは… ⇨ According to my theory …
所 [ところ] [coll] meaning: level rank: 2
☆ こんなところで十分じゃない？ ⇨ Isn’t this good enough?
☆ 新車の平均価格は三百万円ってところじゃない? ⇨ The average price of a new car is somewhere around ¥3 mil, I guess
☆ 日本のサッカーは世界と戦える所まで来た ⇨ Japanese football has reached the point where they can compete at the world level
所 [ところ] [良い所] [coll] meaning: level rank: 2
☆ バカもいいところだ ⇨
► 接尾辞
所 [どころ] meaning: point rank: 1
☆ ここが我慢のし所だ ⇨ This is where you have to be patient
☆ ここが攻め所だ ⇨ This is where you have to be aggressive
所 [どころ] meaning: place rank: 2
☆ 御食事処 ⇨ A meal-place. A restaurant (☛ Often used for a signboard)
☆ 灘は酒所として知られる ⇨ Nada is known as a sake-producing region (☛ Often written as 処 as well)
所 [どころ] meaning: people rank: 4
☆ 綺麗所が勢ぞろいした ⇨ All the beautiful women are here (☛ A group of people with specific characteristics)
More examples:
- 人が沢山いる所に行くのが億劫だ ⇨ I am reluctant to go, just don’t feel like going, to places where there are many people
- 低額所得者 ⇨ A low-income person
- 私の聞いた所に拠るとその噂は本当らしい ⇨ According to what I heard, the rumor is true
- 裁判所は本の出版を差し止める命令をした ⇨ The court ordered to stop the publication of the book
- 複数の所帯が同居している家 ⇨ A house cohabited by multiple families
- 彼は銃を不法に所持していた ⇨ He was carrying a gun illegally
- うちの息子は台所にあるものは全て手当り次第に食べてしまう ⇨ My son devours anything and everything in the kitchen
- 塗り残した所があったのに気付かなかった ⇨ I didn’t realize that there is a spot I failed, forgot, to paint
- 事業の所有権は彼の名義になっている ⇨ The ownership of the business is under his name
- 今の所首尾は上々だ ⇨ So far things are going well
- 警察は犯人の居所を掴んだ ⇨ The police found out the whereabout of the suspect
- 田舎の生活の長所 ⇨ Advantages of country life
- 荷物を集配所に留め置くことも可能です ⇨ You can have your package withheld at a distribution center
- 局所麻酔 ⇨ Local anesthesia
- 御手洗いは真っ直ぐ行って突き当りを右に行った所です ⇨ To get to the restroom, go straight and turn right at the end