Japanese word

何か

Pronunciation

Romajinanika

Meaning

  • pronounsomething

Example

何か食べたいです。nani ka ta be ta i de su

I want something to eat.

Illustration for 何か (something)

More examples

何か聞こえますか。nani ka ki ko e ma su ka

Can you hear something?

何か聞きたいことがありますか。nani ka ki ki ta i ko to ga a ri ma su ka

Is there anything you would like to ask?

Core concept

Points to a thing or matter whose exact identity is left open.

Common phrases

  • 何かあるnani ka a ru

    have something

  • 何か食べるnani ka ta be ru

    eat something

  • 何かについて話すnani ka ni tsu i te hana su

    talk about something

  • 何か知っているnani ka shi tte i ru

    know something

Similar words

何nani: An interrogative pronoun that asks which person, thing, or matter is meant.

Definition in Japanese

何であるかを具体的に定めず、ある物事や事柄を指す語。nan de a ru ka o gu tai teki ni sada me zu a ru mono goto ya koto gara o sa su go

Word origin

何か (nanika) is formed from 何 (nani, "what") and the indefinite particle か (ka), turning "what" into an unspecified thing.

Usage tips

  • 何か (nanika) differs from 何 (nani) because it refers to an unspecified thing, while 何 (nani) asks for its identity, as in 何ですか (nan desu ka).

Other meanings

  • anythingpronoun

Related words

  • 何かしらnankashirasomething or otheradverb
  • 何らかnanrakasome kind ofpre-noun adjectival

Word lists with this word