こう・そう・ああ・どう

About

こう ("like this"), そう・ああ ("like that"), and どう ("how") form the こそあど of こう, そう, ああ, and どう. The words in this こそあど set are adverbs that attach to a verb and describe the way something functions or behaves.

E.g. こう走はしった。 "(They) ran like this."

This set can also modify adjectives using the も particle:

E.g. そうも高たかいとは思おもわなかった。 "I didn't think it would be that expensive."

こうも・そうも・ああも・どうも are abbreviations of こんなにも, そんなにも, and あんなにも.

こう・そう・ああ・どう can also modify nouns using いう:

E.g. 昼ひるごはんはどういうのがいい？ "What kind of stuff would you like for lunch?"

こういう・そういう・ああいう・どういう ("This/that/what sort/kind of") is commonly combined with 風ふう ("style"), or 感かんじ ("feel/style.").

E.g. そういうふうに使つかえますか。 "Can you use it in that way?"

Summary

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  こう・そう・ああ・どう are adverbs

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  こう means "like this", そう・ああ mean "like that", and どう means "how"

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  こう・そう・ああ・どう can attach to adjectives using も

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  こう・そう・ああ・どう can attach to nouns using いう