Japanese Conversation · Level 42
90 words
Japanese word
なり
Pronunciation
Romajinari
Meaning
- particlefor example
Example
疲れたら少し休むなりしてください。tsuka re ta ra suko shi yasu mu na ri shi te ku da sa i
If you are tired, take a rest, for example.
More examples
休みの日は、映画なり見て過ごします。yasu mi no hi wa ei ga na ri mi te su go shi ma su
On my days off, I spend the day watching a movie or something.
Core concept
The particle なり (nari) points to one representative item from a wider set, leaving room for other similar examples.
Common phrases
映画なりei ga na ri
a movie or something
お茶なりo cha na ri
tea or something
Similar words
とかtoka: Lists a possible example while leaving room for other choices.
などnado: Shows that the named item is one example among several.
なんかnanka: Introduces an example in an informal and sometimes dismissive manner.
Definition in Japanese
いくつかあるものの中から、例として一つを取り上げて示す意を表す。i ku tsu ka a ru mo no no naka ka ra rei to shi te hito tsu o to ri a ge te shime su i o arawa su
Word origin
The example-marking particle なり (nari) continues a classical Japanese use of なり that attached to nouns to present one item as a possible example.
Usage tips
- In everyday conversation, なり (nari) can sound more formal than ordinary example markers, so it often appears in phrases that list several possible choices.
Other meanings
- or somethingparticle