hanamaru
Point to something far from both of you
A pronoun meaning 'that one over there' — refers to something far from both the speaker and the listener.
JLPTN5
あれは [noun/description] ですare wa ~ desu
that thing over there is ...
あれ replaces the noun entirely and stands on its own — as topic, subject or object (あれをください) — unlike the modifier あの, which must come before a noun. It is the far member of the これ・それ・あれ trio: これ is near me, それ is near you, あれ is far from us both. When the thing is in shared memory rather than in front of you, あれ also carries the sense of 'that thing we both know about'.
Tips and Common Traps
Hana· Key point
あれ is handy when you and a friend spot something in the distance — just say あれは何ですか (what's that over there?) to start a conversation.
