noun, adverb
recently; not long ago; for a while recently
Obsolete term meaning 'recently' or 'for a while recently'. Not used in modern Japanese; replaced by 最近, この間, このところ, etc.
此の中、都に流行り病がはやったという。
It is said that recently a plague spread in the capital.
此の中見かけぬが、どこへ行ったのだろう。
I haven't seen him for a while recently; I wonder where he went.
Compound of 此 (こ, 'this') + の (possessive particle) + 中 (じゅう, 'during' or 'within'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it functioned as an adverbial phrase meaning 'within this (recent period)'. Obsolete in modern Japanese.