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Grammar detail: なんて

なんて  for emphasis
110 words
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verb plain form
or
noun
or
adjective (optionally followed by だ)
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なんて
is used to emphasize the item なんて follows.
For example:
かんじ
漢字
なんて
です
It's kanji that I like.
In the sentence above, the なんて emphasizes the fact that it is kanji that the speaker likes (as opposed to something else). The sentence
かんじ
漢字
きです
would more directly express a liking for kanji.
あした
明日
なに
こる
なんてだれわからない
You never know what will happen tomorrow.
もうマイルなんて
ある
けない

Another three miles is more than I can walk.
しゅうしょく
就職
する
なら
だいきぎょう
大企業
でなくてはいけないなんて
ふる
かんが

The idea that you should only apply to large companies is outdated.
Used in this way, なんて is a shortened form of なんという, which is composed of なん (what) and という (is called). However, なんて may also be encountered as a colloquial form of なんと, in which case it does not provide any special emphasis.
いしゃ
医者
なんて
った

What did the doctor say?
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See also:
  • Grammar search: という
  • Grammar search: emphasis

Kanji used in this grammar

カン    Chinese   
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ジ   character   あざ village section   
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コウ   この    す to like   
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メイ   ミョウ   あかり light   あかるい bright   あかるむ to brighten   あからむ to become luminous (at dawn)   あきらか obvious   あかす to lay bare   あ to open   あける to empty   
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ニチ   ジツ   sun; day   ひ    -か    
カ   なに    なん what?   
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キ   おきる to wake up, to get up   おこる to happen   おこす to rouse   
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ホ   フ   ブ   ある    あゆ to walk   
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シュウ   ジュ   employed   つ to be employed, take (a seat)   つける to employ   
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ショク    job, employment, post, occupation   
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ダイ   タイ   おおきい big   おおいに very much   おお-    
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キ   くわだてる to plan, to undertake, to attempt   
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ギョウ   ゴウ    profession, business, industry   わざ deed, act   
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コ   ふる old   -ふる to grow old   
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コウ   かんがえる to think about, consider   
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イ    doctor   
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シャ   もの person, someone   
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ゲン   ゴン   say; word   こと word, saying   い to say   
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