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:

何よりも家族が大切です。

Nani yori mo kazoku ga taisetsu desu

ABOVE ALL

Above all, the family is important.

• 何 - means "what" or "which"
• よりも - is a particle that indicates comparison, meaning "more than"
• 家族 - means "family"
• が - is a particle that indicates the subject of the sentence, meaning "the family"
• 大切 - means "important" or "valuable"
• です - is a particle that indicates the polite form of the verb "ser", meaning "is"

何なりとお申し付けください。

Nan'nari to o-moshi-tsuke kudasai

Please tell me what it is.

Please tell me what it is.

• 何なり - Anything
• と - I'm sorry, but I need a text or string to translate from Portuguese to English. Please provide the content you'd like me to work on.
• お - honorific
• 申し付け - request
• ください - Please

何卒よろしくお願いします。

Nanisotsu yoroshiku onegaishimasu

Please count on me.

Thank you for your cooperation.

• 何卒 - Japanese expression meaning "please" or "wholeheartedly".
• よろしく - Japanese expression meaning "please" or "count me in".
• お願いします - Japanese expression meaning "please" or "I ask you to do this".

何方から来ましたか？

Doko kara kimashita ka?

Where you are from?

Where are you from?

• 何方 - interrogative pronoun meaning "who"
• から - particle that indicates origin or starting point
• 来ました - verb "vir" in the past tense, indicating completed action
• か - interrogative particle indicating a question

何時に帰りますか？

Nanji ni kaerimasu ka?

What time are you coming home?

What time do you come back?

• 何時に - "What time"
• 帰ります - "I'm going back"
• か - "?"

ランチに何を食べたいですか？

Ranchi ni nani o tabetai desu ka?

What do you want to eat for lunch?

What do you want to eat for lunch?

• ランチ (ranchi) - lunch in Japanese
• に (ni) - particle that indicates the target or destination of an action
• 何 (nani) - what
• を (wo) - particle that indicates the direct object of an action
• 食べたい (tabetai) - want to eat
• ですか？(desu ka?) - a polite way to ask a question in Japanese

このプロジェクトの成功の基準は何ですか？

Kono purojekuto no seikō no kijun wa nan desu ka?

What is the success criterion of this project?

What are the successful criteria for this project?

• この - demonstrative pronoun meaning "this" or "this"
• プロジェクト - noun meaning "project"
• の - possessive particle that indicates ownership or belonging
• 成功 - noun meaning "success"
• の - possessive particle that indicates ownership or belonging
• 基準 - noun meaning "criterion" or "standard"
• は - topic particle indicating the main subject of the sentence
• 何 - interrogative pronoun that means "what"
• です - auxiliary verb indicating a polite or polished way of speaking
• か - interrogative particle indicating a question
• ？ - punctuation mark that indicates a question

この箱の中身は何ですか？

Kono hako no nakami wa nan desu ka?

What is the content of this box?

What is the content of this box?

• この - demonstrative that indicates proximity, "this"
• 箱 - noun that means "box"
• の - particle that indicates possession, "da"
• 中身 - noun that means "content"
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, "about"
• 何 - interrogative pronoun that means "what"
• ですか - expression that indicates a polite question, "what is it?"

「この文章に何か付け加える必要がある。」

Kono bunshou ni nanika tsukekaeru hitsuyou ga aru

I need to add something to this sentence.

• 「 - opening character in Japanese.
• この - Demonstrative pronoun meaning "this" or "this one".
• 文章 - Noun that means "text" or "written document".
• に - particle indicating action of destination or place where something happens.
• 何か - indefinite pronoun meaning "something".
• 付け加える - verb meaning "to add" or "to add".
• 必要 - adjective meaning "necessary" or "essential".
• が - particle that indicates the subject of the sentence.
• ある - Verb that means "to exist" or "to have".
• 。 - closing character in Japanese.

何とかなる。

Nantoka naru

Everything will be fine.

Somehow.

• Input - - indicates that the following word is what was entered into the system
• 何とかなる - It's the phrase in Japanese that means "everything will be fine."
• Output - - indicates that the following word is the answer or result of the system