なんか

Japanese

Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Particle

なんか • (nanka) 

  1. 何か: (adverbial particle, dismissive, derogatory) emphasizes disgust, contempt, or otherwise negative feelings of the speaker: whatever
  2. 何か: This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.
    なんか変(へん)な感(かん)じがする。
    Nanka hen na kanji ga suru.
    Something feels off (and I can't explain it).
Usage notes
  • なんか (nanka) Usually followed by a verb which conveys some kind of undervalue, lacking, or dislike, often in the negative.
  • なんか (nanka) Can be used immediately following い-adjectives followed by の or in the ~く form, as long as the following clause is negative. For な-adjectives, だ or の is put before なんか.
  • Below are examples of なんか following:
    • Nouns:
      • 助(じょ)言(げん)なんか要(い)らない。
        Jogen nanka iranai.
        I don't need any of your damn advice.
    • Verbs:
      • 泳(およ)ぐなんかできない。
        Oyogu nanka dekinai.
        I can't swim or anything.
    • Adjectives:
      • 大(おお)きくなんかないけど、きれいだ。
        Ōkiku nanka nai kedo, kirei da.
        It's not big or anything, but it's clean.
Synonyms

Etymology 2
For pronunciation and definitions of なんか – see the following entries.
【軟化】
[noun] softening
[noun] weakening
[verb] soften
[verb] weaken
【南下】
[noun] going south
[verb] to go south
(This term, なんか, is the hiragana spelling of the above terms.)
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