How to Say "That Person" in Japanese

あの人

anohito[a̠no̞çi̥to̞]

In Japanese, "that person" is said as あの人 (anohito).

The phrase refers to a specific person who is distant from both the speaker and the listener, either physically or psychologically.

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase is composed of ano (that) and hito (person).

あの人 is used for people at a distance, whereas sono hito refers to a person who is close to the listener or was just mentioned in conversation.

anohito

If you use あの人 to refer to someone who is actually standing right next to you, it can be interpreted as a deliberate social snub or an attempt to dehumanize them.
While あの人 is standard, using あの人 to refer to a romantic partner or a crush in a shy or indirect way is a common trope in Japanese media and song lyrics.
While あの人 is grammatically correct, using it to refer to a superior or someone of higher social status can actually sound quite rude or overly familiar.

あの人がトム？
Is that person Tom?
This sentence is useful for identifying someone using あの人.
Tatoeba #8734235 by bunbuku, translation #6351563 by CK
あの人、君の妹？
Is that person your younger sister?
This sentence is useful for asking about a person's relationship to the listener using あの人.
Tatoeba #8689102 by small_snow, translation #10550270 by CK
あの人元気かな？
Is that person OK?
This sentence is useful for inquiring about a person's well-being using あの人.
Tatoeba #9854115 by small_snow, translation #9855386 by DJ_Saidez
あの方は誰ですか？
Who is that person?
あのかたは先生ですか？
Is that person a teacher?
あのお方のお名前は？
What's the name of that person?
35 more sentences on Tatoeba

Two friends are looking at a photo in a cafe.

陽太 Yota

あの人は誰？
Ano hito wa dare?
Who is that person?
美咲 Misaki

あの人は私の先生だよ。
Ano hito wa watashi no sensei da yo.
That person is my teacher.
陽太 Yota

あの人は優しそうだね。
Ano hito wa yasashisou da ne.
That person looks kind.
美咲 Misaki

うん、本当に優しいよ。
Un, hontou ni yasashii yo.
Yeah, she is really kind.

Sources

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