なんだかんだ

also: なんだかだ

な

ん

だ

か

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だ

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

adverb

something or other; one thing or another; this and that

usually written using kana alone

Used to refer vaguely to various things, reasons, or events, often when summarizing or brushing over details. Common in phrases like なんだかんだで or なんだかんだ言っても.

なんだかんだで、結けっ局きょく彼かれが一いち番ばん頼たよりになる。
For one reason or another, he's the most reliable in the end.
なんだかんだ言いっても、やっぱり故こ郷きょうが一いち番ばんだ。
Say what you will, there's no place like home.

See all 11 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

なんだかんだで〈事こと〉after various things (happened), ... ended up happening
なんだかんだで彼かの女じょと結けっ婚こんすることになった。
One thing led to another, and I ended up marrying her.
なんだかんだ言いってもwhatever people say; no matter the excuses
なんだかんだ言いっても、家か族ぞくが一いち番ばん大たい切せつだ。
Whatever people say, family is the most important thing.
なんだかんだあってwith various things happening (as a reason for a delay or change)
なんだかんだあって、旅りょ行こうに行いけなかった。
What with one thing and another, I couldn't go on the trip.

Kanji

何what
彼he, that, the

Related words· 6

なんやかや
何やかや and なんだかんだ are nearly interchangeable, both vaguely referring to 'various things,' though なんだかんだ is more common in casual speech.
あれこれN2
あれこれ is more concrete, meaning 'this and that' as specific various things or topics, while なんだかんだ is more abstract and often used to summarize or brush over details.
どうのこうの
どうのこうの is used when quoting or dismissing someone's complaints or excuses in a negative context, whereas なんだかんだ is broader and can be neutral.
結けっ局きょくN3
結局 plainly means 'in the end,' while なんだかんだ (especially as なんだかんだで) implies that the outcome came after various unstated things happened.

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何なにかとN2
何だかんだ is colloquial and often carries a complaining or listing tone, while 何かと is a neutral adverb simply meaning 'in various ways'.
とやかくN1
なんだかんだ is a casual expression for summing up various things (often despite complaints), while とやかく specifically highlights the act of criticizing or finding fault.

Written forms

何なんだかんだ
Kanji spelling; rarely used in practice.
何だ彼だ
- なんだかんだ
  Ateji kanji spelling; very rare.
- なんだかだ
なんだかだ
Less common variant reading and spelling.
何なんだかだ
Kanji form of the variant reading; very rare.

Etymology

Derived from the interrogative 何 (なに) plus the copula だ, repeated with か (question marker) and だ, literally 'what is it, what is it'. The variant なんだかだ is a contraction. The exact historical development is uncertain.