kohde

Kohde is a Finnish noun with several related meanings built around the idea of something that is aimed at, observed, or acted upon. In everyday language it most often refers to the object or goal of an action, such as a target, recipient, or focus of attention. It can also denote a location or site, for example a building project, research site, or place under investigation. Because of its broad sense, kohde appears frequently in many contexts where an item or area is singled out for study, manipulation, or description.

In specialized usage kohde takes on more precise meanings. In science and research it can mean the object of an experiment or observation. In analysis and discussion it can refer to the subject under consideration. In medicine and radiology the term is used for the treatment area or anatomical target of a procedure or therapy. In photography, art, and media the kohde commonly means the subject of a composition or image. In marketing, public policy, and social planning compounds such as kohderyhmä (target group) or kohdekartta (target map) are common.

Etymologically, kohde is a native Finnish noun connected to the broader concept of aiming at or meeting the thing of interest. It is widely used across dialects and modern professional vocabularies, forming numerous compounds to express context-specific meanings.