例の (the ... in question)

• Reading: れいの
• Romaji: rei no
• Formation: 例の + Noun
• Kanji breakdown: 例 (rei) = example, precedent, established case

Meaning

A pre-noun phrase meaning 'the ... in question' or 'that ... we talked about,' used to signal that the noun it modifies is something both the speaker and listener already know about from shared context.

例の is used when both parties share knowledge of a specific referent and the speaker does not need to elaborate further. It functions differently from あの, which simply points to something spatially or temporally distant. 例の carries a sense of insider knowledge or mutual understanding — it implies 'you know the one I mean.' It is frequently used in workplace conversations when referring to an ongoing project, or among friends discussing a previously mentioned topic. It can sometimes carry a slightly conspiratorial or secretive nuance, as though the speaker is deliberately being vague for discretion.

Examples

1. 例の件について、部長と相談しましたか。 Have you consulted with the manager about that matter we discussed?
2. 例のレストラン、来週の金曜日に予約しておいたよ。 I made a reservation at that restaurant we talked about for next Friday.
3. 例の書類はもう提出しましたので、確認をお願いします。 I have already submitted the documents in question, so please check them.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: referential

Do Say

• 例の問題、解決策が見つかったみたいだよ。
• 例のお客様から連絡がありました。
• 例の映画、もう観た？すごくよかったよ。

Don't Say

• 例の人に初めて会いました。(例の implies shared prior knowledge; you cannot use it for someone you are introducing for the first time) → ある人に初めて会いました。
• 例の何かを買いたい。(例の requires a specific, identifiable noun — it cannot modify vague words like 何か) → 前に話したものを買いたい。

Origin & History

例 (rei) means 'example' or 'precedent,' and with の it creates a modifier meaning 'the aforementioned' or 'the one we both know.' This usage developed from the idea of referencing a previously established example or case.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal