One of the common meanings that
の is used for, is referring back to a noun that has already been mentioned. In this way, it is very similar to ‘the one’ in English. This use of
の regularly highlights the possession of something that has previously been asked about with
この,
その, or
あの.
-
この本(ほん)はたけしさんのです。
This book is Takeshi-san’s one.
-
そのペンは誰(だれ)の?あなたの?
That pen, whose one? Is it your one?
-
あの頃(ころ)の映画(えいが)は面白(おもしろ)いの。
That era’s movies are amusing ones.
In these examples, it would also be grammatically correct to use the same noun following
の. However, this is called 重(かさ)ね言葉(ことば) (word stacking/redundant words) in Japanese, and is considered a poor writing/speech habit. Despite this, it is important to know that this
の is exactly the same as the possessive
の (with the following word simply being left out).
-
あの車(くるま)、あなたが乗(の)っている車(くるま)ですか。
That car, was it the car you drove? (‘Car’ repeated, when の ‘the one’ should have been used instead)
From this sentence, it is clear that the repeated noun is not needed. Japanese is a language that avoids repeating words in many situations.