など・ なんかand so on; things like
など after a noun means "and so on" or "things like": what you named is one example. なんか is its spoken twin, and it can also belittle: "the likes of".
neutral
This box has photos and things like that in it.
casual
Want to stop at a café or somewhere on the way home?
a put-down
I'm never going back to a place like that.
How to form it
Noun + など/なんか(+ particle)
お茶などを, カフェなんかに. After なんか, が and を are often dropped. など often closes a list made with や: 本やノートなど.
など: and so on
One example is enough: など says there are others like it. It is the neutral one, fine in conversation and the one you will see in notices, news and anything written.
When you travel, it's handy to take a towel and things like that.
At the meeting we talked about the budget and other matters.
There are books, notebooks and other things on the desk.
After a や list, など puts the "and so on" into words.
なんか: the same, in conversation
I've got tea and other things ready for the break.
Polite, or written.
I got some tea and stuff ready for the break.
To a friend. The meaning is the same.
I kept lunch simple, just a sandwich or something.
なんか is spoken Japanese. In an email to a teacher, a report or a notice, it is など.
なんか as a put-down
When what follows is a refusal or a complaint, なんか says the thing isn't worth much: "a … like that", "the likes of". About yourself, it is modest.
I'd never believe an ad like that.
Money? I don't want it.
Me? I've still got a long way to go.
A modest answer when someone praises your Japanese.
It is the same word, so listen to what comes next.
How about a coffee or something?
A suggestion follows: coffee is an example.
I don't drink stuff like coffee.
A refusal follows: coffee is waved away.
The other なんか: something, somehow
When no noun comes right before なんか (it starts the sentence, or follows は), it is another word: 何か, "something", said the casual way. People also drop it in as a filler when they can't say exactly why: "somehow", "kind of". Both belong to conversation.
Want something to eat?
I'm kind of tired today, I don't know why.
It's kind of cold today, isn't it?
Close neighbours
やN5
Goes between two or more nouns. など can follow just one.
There are dictionaries, maps and other things on the shelf.
とか~とかN4
Spoken like なんか, but it can follow every item in the list, and verbs too.
On trips I take things like a change of clothes and medicine.
でもN4
"Or something" in an invitation, and fine in polite speech.
Would you like a coffee or something?
なんてN3
Close to the put-down なんか, and it shows surprise as well. It can follow a whole sentence, which なんか doesn't.
I'm so happy that you'd come.
か何かN2
"Or something": you aren't sure exactly what, or anything of that kind will do.
Please write the address on a piece of paper or something.
Check yourself
1You name one thing and mean "and things like that". Which one fits?
かばんの
Choose an answer to see why.
2What does なんか do here?
あんな
Choose an answer to see why.
3What does this mean?
なんか、
Choose an answer to see why.
More detail
In formal speech など can do the modest job too.
Is it really all right for someone like me to give an opinion?
More sentences
I spend my weekends watching films and things like that.
I put things like the changes in sales into the handout.
I can't trust someone like him.
Someone like me isn't up to such a big role.