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I've always heard `こいつ` refer to a person. (That guy!) However, in my JLPT
Reading workbook there is a line where it refers to a situation. The
explanation says:

> 「こいつ」が状況を表し．．．．ことに気づくこと。

It goes on to say two of the answers were wrong because they referred to
people.

I got the answer correct because it "felt right", but I really don't
understand the explanation. Is this a different `こいつ`? Is this a common usage
of it?

The passage is about a group that got lost in the woods picking mushrooms. The
narrator climbs a tree to find the way back.

> **こいつ** はまずいと思って、俺はナラの大木に登って．．．．

The question and answer are:

> 「 **こいつ** 」とは何を指すか。
>
> 〇 変な場所にいるわたしたち
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2012-07-21T00:13:01.913
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2015-01-21T16:25:51.763
2020-06-17T08:18:27.500
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question
grammar words
When does こいつ refer to a situation?
こいつ as well as これ can be used to refer to a situation, and you can rephrase
the line as 「これはまずいと思って、俺はナラの大木に登って・・・」. こいつ sounds more colloquial, blunter
and maybe more masculine than これ. 岩波国語辞典 states "こいつ =
このやつ。｢これ｣の乱暴な言い方。「こやつ」の転。".  
  
岩波国語辞典 also states "これ ②今話題になっている物・事をさす語。「一夜のうちに大木になった。おじいさんはこれを見て驚いた。」"  
  
(Btw, I think the answer to「こいつ」とは何を指すか should have been written as more like
「わたしたちが変な場所にいること」.)
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2012-07-21T04:21:01.727
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2012-07-21T04:35:14.877
2012-07-21T04:35:14.877
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answer