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Grammar detail: なんか

なんか
saying “kind of”, “something like”, and expressing subtle feelings
185 words
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なんか is a very useful and flexible expression. It appears often in spoken Japanese and carries a casual, slightly vague or subjective tone. Understanding its nuance is more important than translating it directly.
When なんか downplays or distances a noun
noun
+
なんか
In these examples なんか downplays the noun. When なんか is used in this manner, it can carry a slightly negative or critical nuance.
ペットなんか
ぜったい
絶対
に
か
飼
わない
。
There's no way I'd keep a pet.
お
かね
金
なんかたいしたことはない。
Money counts for little.
うそ
嘘
なんかつく
ひと
人
でない。
He's above telling a lie.
This next example has a very dismissive and negative tone. Combining なんか in the same sentence as おまえら (a confrontational term for the 'you'- plural) and もない for further emphasis, creates a strong expression of rejection.
おまえらの
かお
顔
なんか
み
見
たく
もない。
I don't want to see your faces.
In this next example, なんか can be seen as distancing the noun, in order to soften the suggestion.
スペイン
りょうり
料理
なんかどうですか。
How about some Spanish food?
Using なんか to add a vague, reflective tone ("kind of…"; "somehow")
なんか
+
statement
なんか
きょう
今日
は
きぶん
気分
が
わる
悪
い
な。
I'm kind of sick today.
なんか
きょう
今日
は
しず
静
か
だね。
It’s kind of quiet today.
なんか、あの
ひと
人
は
こわ
怖
い
です。
I don't know why, but that person is a bit scary.
なんかうまくいかない。
Things aren’t going well somehow
Other examples
なんかいい
くるま
車
じゃない。
That's a nice car you're driving.
やす
休
み
の
ひ
日
は、
えいが
映画
なんかを
み
見
ます
。
On my days off, I watch things like movies (among other things).
In this final example, なんか suggests “among other things.” とか can also be used for listing examples, but なんか has a more casual tone and may carry a slightly dismissive nuance, whereas とか is neutral.
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Kanji used in this grammar

絶
ゼツ   たえる to die out   たやす to eradicate   たつ to sever, to cut off   
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対
タイ   ツイ    vis-a-vis   
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飼
シ   raise animals   かう to raise (animals), rear   
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金
キン   コン   かね gold; money   
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嘘
うそ a lie   
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人
ジン   ニン   ひと person   
顔
ガン   かお face   
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見
ケン   みる to see   みえる to be seen; to appear   みせる to show   
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料
リョウ    fee   
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理
リ    logic   
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今
コン   キン   いま now   
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日
ニチ   ジツ   sun; day   ひ    -か    
気
キ   ケ    spirit   
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分
ブン   ブ   フン   わける to divide, to distinguish   わかる to understand   わかれる to be divided   わかつ to share, distribute   
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悪
アク   オ   わるい bad   
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静
セイ   ジョウ   しずか quiet, still   しずまる to become still   しずめる to becalm, to quell   
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怖
フ   こわい frightening   
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車
シャ   くるま car   
休
キュウ   やすむ to rest   やすまる to be rested   やすめる to suspend (use etc.)   
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映
エイ   はえる to shine   うつる to be reflected   うつす to reflect, project   
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画
ガ   カク   draw
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