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Grammar detail: というか

というか
I'm not sure that it is X or (in actual fact) Y; rather than X, it's more so Y
222 words
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verb plain form
noun
な adjective (without な)
い adjective
+
というか
means
I'm not sure that it is X or (in actual fact) Y; rather than X, it's more so Y
というか can be used by a speaker when they are trying to think of a more appropriate way to word what they are thinking; "I'm not sure that it is X, but rather that it is Y".
というか can also be used when a speaker is weighing up whether something is X or Y. The expression is used when the speaker is giving more weight to Y, but acknowledging X because it is a point that has been raised in an interaction. X and Y could also be the speaker's own thoughts that they are weighing up as they are saying them out loud.
というか is used to talk about a wide variety of topics. It is common in both informal and formal contexts and can be used to make statements about or discuss simple or complex matters.
りょうり
料理
している
というか
れいぞうこ
冷蔵庫
にあるものを
てきとう
適当
に
つか
使
って
ご
はん
飯
を
つく
作
っている
。
Rather than cooking, I'd say I'm throwing together things in the fridge to make something to eat.
せんぱい
先輩
のことが
す
好
き
というか
かれ
彼
の
はなし
話
に
きょうみ
興味
がある。
I'm not sure I would say I like him, but I'm interested in what he has to say.
ほうしん
方針
というか
せんりゃく
戦略
のようなものです。
I'd say it is not exactly policy, but more so strategy.
「まあその、
じまん
自慢
できる
こと
事
でもないんだけど」というか、
おくめん
臆面
もなく
ふいちょう
吹聴
できる
はなし
話
でもない。
"Well, that is, it's not something I can boast of," in fact it's not something I can talk unashamedly about in public.
というか can occur more than once in a sentence, as in the next example.
じゅぎょうちゅう
授業中
は
き
聞
いていない
というか
ないよう
内容
がわかっていないというか、
さいきん
最近
しゅうちゅう
集中
できないことが
おお
多
い
ように
おも
思
える
。
I don't know that he's not listening during lessons, or that he doesn't understand the content, but lately I get a sense he is often unable to concentrate.
と言いますか is a polite form of というか and is often a better option in formal and business situations.
じぎょう
事業
と
い
言
います
か
しゅみ
趣味
のようなものです。
I'm not sure I'd call it a business, but perhaps more like a hobby.
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Kanji used in this grammar

言
ゲン   ゴン   say; word   こと word, saying   いう to say   
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料
リョウ    fee   
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理
リ    logic   
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冷
レイ   つめたい cold   さめる to (become) cool   さます to (make) cool   ひや cold (sake, water)   ひえる to get chilly   ひやす to chill   ひやかす to banter   
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蔵
ゾウ   くら storehouse   
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庫
コ   ク    warehouse   
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適
テキ    suitable   
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当
トウ   あてる    あたる to hit   
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使
シ   つかう to use   
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飯
ハン   めし boiled rice, food   
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作
サク   サ   つくる to make   
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先
セン   さき ahead   
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輩
ハイ    colleague   
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好
コウ   このむ    すく to like   
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彼
ヒ   かれ he   
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話
ワ   はなす to talk   はなし talking   
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興
コウ   キョウ    entertainment, interest   おこる to flourish   おこす to establish   
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味
ミ   あじ taste   あじわう to taste   
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方
ホウ   かた way, direction   
針
シン   はり needle   
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戦
セン   いくさ battle, war   たたかう to do battle   
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略
リャク    abbreviation   
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自
ジ   シ   みずから self   
慢
マン    ridicule   
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事
ジ   ズ   こと thing; matter   
臆
オク    timid   
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面
メン   おもて mask, features, surface   おも surface   つら face   
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吹
スイ   ふく to blow   
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聴
チョウ   きく to listen   
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授
ジュ   さずける to teach, to grant   さずかる be granted, to be taught   
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業
ギョウ   ゴウ    profession, business, industry   わざ deed, act   
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中
チュウ   ジュウ   なか middle   
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聞
ブン   モン   きく to listen, to hear   きこえる to be heard   
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内
ナイ   ダイ   うち inside   
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容
ヨウ    contents   
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最
サイ   もっとも most   
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近
キン   ちかい close   
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集
シュウ   あつめる to gather   あつまる    つどう to assemble   
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多
タ   おおい many   
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思
シ   おもう to think   
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趣
シュ   おもむき gist, purport; appearance   
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