Japanese

Particle

なんか ‎(romaji nanka)

1. 何か: (Adverbial particle emphasizing disgust, contempt, or otherwise negative feelings of the speaker.)

   なんか (nanka) can follow a noun:

   助言 (じょげん)なんか要 (い)らない。

   Jogen nanka iranai.

   I don't need any of your (damn) advice.

   なんか (nanka) can follow a verb:

   泳 (およ)ぐなんかできない。

   Oyogu nanka dekinai.

   I can't swim.

   なんか (nanka) can follow an adjective:

   大 (おお)きくなんかないけど、きれいだ。

   Ōkiku nanka nai kedo, kirei da.

   It's not big [or anything], but it's clean.

Usage notes

なんか (nanka) is usually followed by a verb which conveys some kind of undervalue, lacking, or dislike, often in the negative.

なんか (nanka) can immediately follow i-adjectives, using the adjective's ku form if followed by the negative, or if the adjective is followed by no. Na-adjectives require the copula da or no before nanka.

Synonyms

• なんて ‎(nante) (slightly more formal)
• など ‎(nado) (more formal)

Noun

なんか ‎(romaji nanka)

1. 軟化: softening, mollification
2. 南下: going south

Verb

なんかする ‎(romaji nanka suru)

1. 軟化: to soften, to weaken
2. 南下: to go south