家という家every single (house, shop, window)
A noun, という, and the same noun again: every single one, with none left out. It is a written way to paint a scene.
In the typhoon, every single house in the village was damaged.
How to form it
Noun + という + the same noun
窓という窓, 店という店. After it comes the usual particle: が, を, に.
- The noun
- Something you can count and picture: 家, 店, 窓, 壁, 引き出し. People too: 人という人.
- Before it
- Often the place that sets the limit: 町中の, 建物の. Every one there, not every one in the world.
- After it
- Something striking that is true of them all.
- Where you'll meet it
- Novels, essays, news features and exam reading. Hardly ever in conversation.
In use
Every single shop in town was flying festival flags.
We searched every last desk in the office, but the key was nowhere to be found.
Every reporter in the hall fired questions at him.
Two things to know
It is said for effect
A plain "all" or "every", spoken or written, is 全部 or どの~も.
It was New Year, and every single shop in the arcade was closed.
A scene, told for effect.
It was New Year, and all the shops in the arcade were closed.
The everyday way to say it.
今日という今日 is something else
With 今日 or 今度 it isn't "every". 今日という今日は is "today, at long last" and 今度という今度は is "this time, and I mean it", from someone who has had enough.
Today, at long last, I am going to say it straight.
Close neighbours
というN5
Between two different words, という gives a name: the first is what the second is called.
There is a coffee shop called Aozora in front of the station.
何から何までN2
Every part of one matter, big and small. Not one kind of thing, counted off.
For the trip, my friend arranged absolutely everything, from booking the tickets to our meals each day.
Check yourself
1What does this mean?
引き出しと
Choose an answer to see why.
2What is this person saying?
今度と
Choose an answer to see why.
More sentences
Every window in the building was covered in thick dust.
Every sign along the street had been blown over by the strong wind.
Every room in the shelter was packed with people.
They opened every last box in the warehouse and checked what was inside.