〜こそ

koso

precisely; it is ... that; (strong emphasis)

Formation

Noun + こそ

Chinese meanings

正是；才

Chinese formation

名词＋こそ

Chinese usage

突出特别重要的对象。

Chinese notes

こちらこそ是固定应答，表示“我才要感谢你”等。

Examples

Furigana

「いつもありがとう。」「いえ、こちらこそ。」
'Thanks for everything.' 'No, thank you!'
“一直以来谢谢你。”“哪里，我才要谢谢你。”
今年ことしこそ、たばこをやめるつもりだ。
This year, for sure, I'm going to quit smoking.
今年我一定要戒烟。
毎まい日にちの小ちいさな努ど力りょくこそが、大おおきな成せい功こうにつながる。
It's precisely small daily efforts that lead to great success.
正是每天一点一滴的努力带来巨大的成功。

Notes

Singles out one thing as the very one that matters. こちらこそ is a set reply: 'the thanks/pleasure is mine'. Related N2 forms: 〜からこそ, 〜てこそ.

#emphasis

Related N3 grammar

〜わけがない〜に違いない〜に決まっている〜くらい / 〜ぐらい（extent）〜さえ〜さえ〜ば〜ほど〜はない〜まで（even）

Suggest an improvement

Use this entry in code

import { getGrammarById } from 'kotowa';
getGrammarById('koso');

{
  "id": "koso",
  "pattern": "〜こそ",
  "romaji": "koso",
  "level": "N3",
  "meaning": "precisely; it is ... that; (strong emphasis)",
  "formation": "Noun + こそ",
  "examples": [
    {
      "ja": "「いつもありがとう。」「いえ、こちらこそ。」",
      "en": "'Thanks for everything.' 'No, thank you!'"
    },
    {
      "ja": "今年こそ、たばこをやめるつもりだ。",
      "furigana": "{今年|ことし}こそ、たばこをやめるつもりだ。",
      "en": "This year, for sure, I'm going to quit smoking."
    },
    {
      "ja": "毎日の小さな努力こそが、大きな成功につながる。",
      "furigana": "{毎日|まいにち}の{小|ちい}さな{努力|どりょく}こそが、{大|おお}きな{成功|せいこう}につながる。",
      "en": "It's precisely small daily efforts that lead to great success."
    }
  ],
  "tags": [
    "emphasis"
  ],
  "notes": "Singles out one thing as the very one that matters. こちらこそ is a set reply: 'the thanks/pleasure is mine'. Related N2 forms: 〜からこそ, 〜てこそ.",
  "zh": {
    "source_hash": "14c1c1175d474d07e91e1f64a0bb04fef44b0afa706391ec2ebfed25679f5aef",
    "meanings": [
      "正是",
      "才"
    ],
    "formation": "名词＋こそ",
    "explanation": "突出特别重要的对象。",
    "notes": "こちらこそ是固定应答，表示“我才要感谢你”等。",
    "examples": [
      {
        "ja": "「いつもありがとう。」「いえ、こちらこそ。」",
        "zh": "“一直以来谢谢你。”“哪里，我才要谢谢你。”"
      },
      {
        "ja": "今年こそ、たばこをやめるつもりだ。",
        "zh": "今年我一定要戒烟。"
      },
      {
        "ja": "毎日の小さな努力こそが、大きな成功につながる。",
        "zh": "正是每天一点一滴的努力带来巨大的成功。"
      }
    ],
    "references": [
      "sources/grammar/n3.json#koso",
      "Original Chinese authored and reviewed by Codex; no independent human review"
    ],
    "status": "reviewed",
    "reviewer": "Codex",
    "review_method": "ai",
    "reviewed_at": "2026-10-28",
    "review_hash": "f8a620bc87c16f9faa7aa7dee766bd0fc3104b72df5ce9a72ef97a3220847d22"
  }
}