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とおり (toori) Meaning Japanese Grammar - Just Like That

Author Sandro Maglione for article 'とおり (toori) Meaning Japanese Grammar - Just Like That'

Sandro Maglione

The expression とおり (toori) means just like that, exactly, that way.

とおり is used to state how something is the same as previously mentioned, forming the expression just like or likewise.

In this post we learn more about the meaning of とおり, how it is formed, and when とおり is used through real example sentences.


How とおり is formed

とおり can be used as a noun or as an adverb. とおり therefore follows a verb or other noun. When とおり follows a noun, the pronunciation becomes どおり:

Verb+とおり
Noun+どおり
Noun++とおり

(かれ)()った(とお)り、(やま)(ほん)(とう)()(れい)ですね。

Just like he said, the mountain is really beautiful.

The kanji form of とおり is (とお)り, where 通 indicates the road, the way.

How and when to use とおり

The expression とおり is used when we want to indicate that something is the same as what was said previously: in this way the expression translates as just like, in that way.

This meaning comes from the origin of the term とおり, which derives from the kanji (とお)り meaning road, passage, way.

In this sense, とおり literally means "following that way", which we then translate as in that way.

(せつ)(めい)(しょ)のとおりにやります。

Follow the instructions.

In the example we see how とおり refers to instructions (せつ)(めい)(しょ), indicating to do (やる) as written on them.

Literally the translation of the sentence would be: do just as directed by the (written) instructions.

(かれ)()(かん)どおりに()た。

He arrived on time.

()(かん)どおり means "on time", "on schedule".

言う通り e その通り: "just like that"

Two commonly used expressions that use とおり are ()(とお)り and その(とお)り:

  • ()(とお)り means just as (you) said, and is formed by the verb say ()う followed by とおり
  • その(とお)り means just like this, just like that, where その is a demonstrative of the Kosoado series meaning that

(せん)(せい)()(とお)りです。

Just like the teacher said.

その(とお)り。

That's right.

0:00.00

-1:0-1.00

思い通り: "as planned"

Another expression that uses とおり is (おも)(とお)り.

This expression uses the verb to think (おも)う, which as a noun becomes (おも)thought.

For this reason, (おも)(とお)り means as planned, literally "following one's own thought".

You can also use the expression (おも)った(とお)り, which translates as "as thought" (not something planned).

(おも)った(とお)りだな。

Just as I thought.

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Examples of とおり

(もと)どおりにしまってください。

Put it where it was before please.

この()()のとおりに()けば、すぐに()きます。

If you follow the map, you will arrive quickly.

(てん)()()(ほう)のとおりに、(あめ)()ってきた。

Just as the weather predicted, the rain has come.

From a series of Japanese コミックエッセイ:

On nights when things don't go your way
(おも)(どお)りに: the waiy I want it; the way I like it; the way I want it to be

(おも)(どお)りにいかない(よる)には

On nights when things don't go your way

(おも)(どお)り: contains the verb think (おも)う: as I thought; as I please, as I desire