何
what
Readings
On'yomi
- カ
Kun'yomi
- なに
- なん
- なに-
- なん-
Nanori
- あが
Meaning
何 centers on the idea of an unknown or unspecified thing: the question word 'what'. It is used to ask for identification or to refer to something indefinite.
Most common words using 何
24 of 386- 何なにN5
what
- 何なんN5
what
- 何処どこN5
where; what place
- 何時もいつもN5
always; all the time; at all times
- 何故なぜN5
why; how; for what reason
- 何れいずれN3
which; where; who
- 何でなんでN3
why?; what for?
- 何とかなんとかN3
something; something or other; so-and-so
- 何だかなんだかN2
(a) little; somewhat; somehow
- 如何いかがN5
how; in what way; how about
- 何となくなんとなくN3
somehow; for some reason (or other); without knowing why
- 何よりなによりN2
above anything else; above all; more than anything
- 如何にいかにN2
how; in what way
- 何故かなぜかN2
somehow; for some reason; without knowing why
- 何ともなんともN2
really; very; extremely; terribly; awfully
- 何事なにごとN1
what; what sort of thing
- 何方どなたN5
who
- 何者なにもの
who; what kind of person
- 何だかんだなんだかんだN2
something or other; one thing or another; this or that
- 何故ならなぜならN3
because; the reason is; if you want to know why
- 何となんとN2
what; how
- 何かとなにかとN2
one way or another; in many ways; in various ways
- 如何にもいかにもN2
indeed; really; truly; just (like)
- 何らなんらN1
(not) in any way; (not) at all; (none) whatsoever
Study
Etymology
何 combines 亻 (person) with 可, which likely contributes the sound. The character originally depicted a person carrying a load, but it was borrowed early on to represent the interrogative 'what'.
Meaning mnemonic
A person 亻 beside 可 (possible/able) looks like someone asking 'What is possible?' — the question mark of kanji.
Reading mnemonic
For カ, imagine a person asking 'What?' while pointing at a car: car -> カ, and the question is 'What is that?'