Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 9: 17/23

か何(なに)か

Or something, Or something like that

Pronounced as なんか in casual situations

Structure

Noun + か何(なに)か

Details

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    Standard

  • 使用域

    一般

About か何か

か何(なに)か is a structure in Japanese used for expressing uncertainty about a specific thing. Being a construction of か, the substitute noun 何(なに), and か, the common translations of 'or something', and 'or something like (A)' are quite close to the more literal meaning which is just '(A), or whatever it is'.
か何(なに)か will follow directly after the noun that it is describing as being something uncertain.
  • すみません、お茶(ちゃ)か何(なに)かありませんか？
    Excuse me, do you have tea or something?
  • お巡(まわ)りさん！あそこにナイフか何(なに)かを持(も)った怪(あや)しい人(ひと)がいました。
    Officer! There was a suspicious person over there holding a knife or something.
か何(なに)か will also often be used in questions, or when offering someone something. This is primarily when more than (A) is available as a choice, but the speaker isn't specifying a list just yet. In these situations, (A) just indicates a general category to which 'or something else' would be a part of.
  • 何(なん)でもいいんで、水(みず)か何(なに)かをください。
    Please give me water or something. Anything would be fine.
  • 紅茶(こうちゃ)か何(なに)か飲(の)みませんか？
    Do you want to drink tea or something?

Examples

  • バーテンダーのひとみさん：「お飲(の)み物(もの)はいかが？」
    顧客(こきゃく)のにったさん：「ビールか何(なに)かがほしいな。」

    Hitomi, the bartender: 'How about a drink?'.
    Nitta, the customer: 'I'd like a beer or something'.

  • 警察官(けいさつかん)：「泥棒(どろぼう)はバールか何(なに)かを使(つか)って、窓(まど)を開(あ)けたと思(おも)います。」

    Policeman: 'I think that the thief opened the window using a crowbar or something.'

  • A：「彼(かれ)はどうしたの？３時間(じかん)も遅(おく)れるなんて...」
    B：「バスで来(く)るはずだから、交通(こうつう)渋滞(じゅうたい)か何(なに)かような気(き)がする。」

    A: 'Where could he be? He's like three hours late now…'
    B: 'He should be coming by bus, so I have a feeling that he is stuck in traffic or something.'

  • A：「これ、手品(てじな)じゃなくて、魔法(まほう)だよ！」
    スケプティクさん：「そうは思(おも)わないね。本当(ほんとう)に科学(かがく)か何(なに)かでこのことは説明(せつめい)できるでしょう。」

    A: 'This is not a magic trick, it is MAGIC!'
    Mr. Skeptic: 'I don't think so. You probably can explain it with science or something.'

  • 奥(おく)さん：「コーヒーか何(なに)か飲(の)みませんか？」
    お客(きゃく)さん：「結構(けっこう)です。」

    Wife: 'Would you like coffee or something to drink?'
    Guest: 'No, I'm fine.'

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