JLPT · Level 31
75 words
Japanese word
何々
Pronunciation
Romajinaninani
Meaning
- pronounsuch and such
Example
先生は何々と言いました。sen sei wa nani nani to i i ma shi ta
The teacher said such and such.
More examples
申込書には何々と書けばいいですか。mōshi komi sho ni wa nani nani to ka ke ba i i de su ka
What should I write on the application form?
Core concept
何々 (naninani) points to one or more things whose specific details are left unstated, often with the sense of "what" or "whatnot".
Common phrases
何々についてnani nani ni tsu i te
about what
何々と言うnani nani to yū
say something
Similar words
何かnanika: A pronoun for an unspecified object, idea, or matter.
Definition in Japanese
内容や名称を具体的に示さず、ある事柄を指す語。nai yō ya mei shō o gu tai teki ni shime sa zu a ru koto gara o sa su go
Word origin
何々 (naninani) is a reduplicated form of 何 (nani, "what"), and the repetition gives it the sense of unspecified things or items.
Usage tips
- In forms and explanations, this pronoun can mark an omitted name or item, so the surrounding sentence carries more information than the pronoun itself.
Other meanings
- whatnotpronoun