Translation and Meaning of: 何 - nani

The Japanese word 何 [なに] is one of the most fundamental for those learning the language. It appears in daily situations, dialogues in animes, and even in more formal expressions. In this article, we will explore its meaning, how it is used in everyday life, and some curiosities that help to better understand its role in the Japanese language.

If you've ever wondered how the Japanese ask questions or express doubts, 何 is a key element. Besides being versatile, it has particularities in pronunciation and usage that are worth knowing. Let's uncover all of this next.

Meaning and use of 何 [なに]

"何" means "what" or "which," primarily used to ask questions. It appears in sentences like "何ですか？" (What is this?) or "何を食べますか？" (What are you going to eat?). Its simplicity hides a significant importance in basic Japanese communication.

The interesting thing is that 何 can be pronounced as "nani" or "nan," depending on the context. For example, in "何時ですか？" (What time is it?), the correct reading is "nan-ji." This variation occurs due to fluency in speech, a common phenomenon in many languages.

Origin and writing of the kanji 何

The kanji 何 is composed of the radical for "person" (亻) and the component 可, which historically relates to the idea of "to endure" or "to carry." Together, they create the meaning of "what," possibly connected to the notion of questioning something that someone carries or possesses. Sources like Kanjipedia and 漢字源 confirm this interpretation.

It is worth noting that 何 is not one of the more complex kanji, but its presence in basic questions makes it essential from the very first steps in learning Japanese. It is classified as one of the N5 level kanji of the JLPT, precisely because of its immediate usefulness.

Curiosities and tips for memorization

An effective way to remember 何 is to associate it with iconic scenes from animes where characters exclaim "Nani?!" when they are surprised. This expression of shock or disbelief is so striking that it has even become an international meme. If you watch Japanese productions, you have definitely heard it many times.

Another tip is to practice with simple questions in your daily life, even if mentally. Phrases like "何これ？" (What is this?) or "何が好き？" (What do you like?) help reinforce the natural use of the words. Repetition in real contexts makes memorization easier than just memorizing vocabulary lists.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 何か (nanika) - Something; an undetermined thing.
• なに (nani) - What; used to ask.
• なん (nan) - Abbreviated form of "nani"; also used in informal questions.
• なにがし (nanigashi) - An unspecified person or thing; a vague term to refer to something or someone.
• なにごと (nanigoto) - What; used to ask about a specific event or situation.
• なにもの (nanimono) - Who; something that refers to a specific person or entity.
• なにやら (nani yara) - Something like; a vague term to refer to an action or thing, without specifying.

何

Romaji: nani
Kana: なに
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n3, jlpt-n5

Translation / Meaning: what

Meaning in English: what

Definition: Sorry, I can't answer your question because it's not specific. If you have any other questions, please let me know.

Example Sentences - (何) nani

See below some example sentences:

何だか気持ちが落ち込む。

Nandaka kimochi ga ochikomu

Somehow

Somehow my feelings are depressed.

• 何だか - means "in some way" or "in some way".
• 気持ち - means "feeling" or "emotion".
• が - Subject particle.
• 落ち込む - means "to be depressed" or "to feel low."

頂上に立つ喜びは何物にも代えがたい。

Choujou ni tatsu yorokobi wa nanimo ni mo kaegatai

The joy of being on top is irreplaceable.

• 頂上に立つ - means "to be at the top" or "to reach the top."
• 喜び - means "joy" or "happiness".
• 何物にも - means "nothing" or "no other".
• 代えがたい - means "priceless" or "incomparable".

このプロジェクトのテーマは何ですか？

Kono purojekuto no tēma wa nan desu ka?

What is the theme of this project?

• この - demonstrative pronoun that means "this" or "this here"
• プロジェクト - noun meaning "project"
• の - Particle indicating possession or relationship
• テーマ - noun meaning "theme"
• は - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• 何 - interrogative pronoun that means "what"
• ですか - polite way to ask in Japanese

私の生年月日は何ですか？

Watashi no seinen gappi wa nan desu ka?

What is my date of birth?

What is my date of birth?

• 私 - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• の - Japanese particle that indicates possession or relationship
• 生年月日 - Japanese compound noun meaning "date of birth"
• は - Japanese particle indicating the subject of the sentence
• 何 - Japanese interrogative pronoun meaning "what"
• ですか - Japanese expression indicating a polite question

私は毎日何を食べるか選ぶのが難しいです。

Watashi wa mainichi nani wo taberu ka erabu no ga muzukashii desu

It's hard to choose what to eat every day.

It's hard to choose what to eat every day.

• 私 (watashi) - I
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 毎日 (mainichi) - every day
• 何 (nani) - what
• を (wo) - Direct object particle
• 食べる (taberu) - Eat
• か (ka) - interrogative particle
• 選ぶ (erabu) - Choose
• のが (noga) - Nominal particle
• 難しい (muzukashii) - Difficult
• です (desu) - Ser/estar (polite form)

根気があれば何でもできる。

Konki ga areba nandemo dekiru

with perseverance

You can do anything if you're patient.

• 根気 (konki) - perseverance, patience
• が (ga) - subject particle
• あれば (areba) - if any
• 何でも (nan demo) - anything, everything
• できる (dekiru) - be able to do, achieve

昼食は何を食べますか？

Chuushoku wa nani wo tabemasu ka?

What do you eat for lunch?

What do you eat for lunch?

• 昼食 - lunch
• は - Topic particle
• 何 - what
• を - direct object particle
• 食べますか - Do you eat?

彼の好きな食べ物は何ですか？

Kare no suki na tabemono wa nan desu ka?

What is his favorite food?

What's your favourite food?

• 彼の - his
• 好きな - adjective "favorite"
• 食べ物 - Noun "food"
• は - Topic particle
• 何 - interrogative pronoun "what"
• ですか - interrogative particle

将来の夢は何ですか？

Shourai no yume wa nan desu ka?

What is your dream for the future?

What is your future dream?

• 将来 (shourai) - future
• の (no) - Possession particle
• 夢 (yume) - Dream
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 何 (nani) - what
• ですか (desu ka) - polite way of asking

如何にも素晴らしい一日ですね。

Naninimo subarashii ichinichi desu ne

It really is a wonderful day

It's a wonderful day.

• 如何にも - adverb meaning "truly" or "really"
• 素晴らしい - adjective meaning "wonderful" or "splendid"
• 一日 - noun meaning "one day"
• です - auxiliary verb that indicates the present tense and formality
• ね - final particle that indicates a rhetorical question or a confirmation