Components

Grammar detail: 〜なのか

〜なのか  (question)
74 words
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A は B なのか
means
is A (equivalent to) B?
This useful expression is an extension of the のか embedded question form.
あさくさ
浅草
なぜ
にほんいち
日本一
はんかがい
繁華街
のか title of book, album etc.
Why Is Asakusa the Best Shopping District in Japan?
わら
にんげん
人間
だけ
とくしつ
特質

Is laughter a quality of man only?
これ
じんせい
人生

Is this my life?
The meaning is loosely the same without the なの (i.e., A は B か?), but the addition of なの 'softens' the sentence somewhat.
Note: not to be confused with the noun meaning the seventh day of the month!
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Kanji used in this grammar

セン   あさ shallow, superficial   
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ソウ   くさ grass   
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ニチ   ジツ   sun; day   ひ    -か    
ホン   book   もと origin   
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イチ   イツ   ひと    ひと- one   
ハン    luxuriant, thickly growing   
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カ   ケ   China; Chinese   はな flower; showy; China   
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カイ   ガイ   まち town, thoroughfare, street   
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ショウ   わら to laugh   え to smile   
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ジン   ニン   ひと person   
カン   ケン   あいだ interval, between   ま space, room   
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トク    special   
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シツ   シチ   チ    quality; substance   
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セイ   ショウ    life   なま raw   いかす to enliven   いきる to live   いける to arrange flowers   うまれる to be born   う to give birth to   き pure, undiluted   お to grow, to sprout   はえる to grow, to sprout   はやす to grow, cultivate   
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