How to say 'What' or 'How' in Japanese | 何と

word

Meaning

What, How

Reading

Kanji

何What

Explanation

The Japanese adverb '何と (なんと)' is a versatile word that can express surprise, emphasis, or inquiry. It is often used to convey astonishment or to ask 'how' or 'what' in a rhetorical or exclamatory manner. For example: How amazing!「何とすごい！」(なんとすごい！). What a surprise!「何と驚きだ！」(なんとおどろきだ！). It can also be used in questions to express disbelief or curiosity, such as: What did you say?「何と言いましたか？」(なんといいましたか？). The nuance of '何と' often depends on the tone and context of the sentence, making it a flexible and expressive adverb in Japanese.

Part Of Speech

adverb

Kanji JLPT

Kanji Grade

Frequency

5078

Composition

kanji-hiragana

Handwriting