Lists examples and implies there are more similar items. Used after nouns, verbs, or clauses.
On the table there was bread, cheese, and other things.
There are books, notebooks, and so on, on the desk.
休みの日は、映画を見るなどして過ごします。
On my days off, I spend time doing things like watching movies.
or something; something like that
Softens a statement by adding vagueness after a suggestion or approximate quote. Often used in casual speech.
彼は忙しいなどと言って、来なかった。
He said he was busy or something, and didn't come.
the likes of; someone like
Downplays the preceding word, often with a dismissive or humble tone. Can be used to belittle or show modesty.
私などにはとてもできません。
Someone like me could never do it.
彼などに負けるはずがない。
There's no way I'd lose to the likes of him.
for example; for instance; such as
Gives a concrete example from a larger group. Often used with 例えば or in explanatory contexts.
日本には、東京など多くの大都市があります。
In Japan, there are many big cities, such as Tokyo.
彼は「もう疲れた」などと言った。
He said something like 'I'm already tired.'
Someone like me could never do that.
I like fruits, for example apples and mandarins.
I wouldn't do such a thing.
とか is casual and suggests the list is loose or incomplete, while など can be used in both casual and formal speech.
なんか is a very casual, colloquial variant of など, often used in spoken Japanese to add vagueness or downplay something.
や connects items within a list, while など comes at the end of the list to signal that more unmentioned items exist.
など is the common, everyday word for 'and so on', while 等 (とう) is the more formal, literary suffix used in official or written contexts.
など is the common, casual word for 'etc.', while 等々 is more formal and stresses a longer, varied list.
など is a neutral listing particle meaning 'etc.', while なんて adds an emotional, often dismissive or surprised tone.
など is the neutral, standard listing particle for 'and so on,' while なんぞ is a colloquial variant that often adds a dismissive or belittling tone.
など is the common, everyday word for 'and so on', while 云々 is a more formal or literary way to indicate an unspecified continuation of a list or quote.
など simply adds 'etc.' after a list, whereas といった explicitly frames the listed items as examples of a larger category.
など is a casual, common way to end a list with 'and so on', whereas その他 is more formal and typical of written or business Japanese.
等（とう）is the formal, written register used in legal or official documents, whereas など is the everyday spoken and written equivalent.
Written the same as 等 (とう), but read など it is the ordinary spoken word for 'etc.', whereas とう is its formal, literary reading used as a suffix.
Standard kana spelling; usually written in kana.
Rarely used kanji form; learners should avoid this spelling.
Kanji form is common in formal writing, but kana is preferred in everyday use.
Derived from the classical Japanese particle など, which itself comes from the combination of な (an old nominal particle) and と (quotative/comitative particle). The kanji 等 is a semantic borrowing meaning 'and so on'.