何

何	Meanings: what, how many On Readings: カ Kun Readings: なん , なに Most Used Pronunciation: nani JLPT Level: 4 (see all JLPT 4 kanji) Grade: 2 Kanji Part: 人 Stroke Number: 7

Level 4 Completion 40 / 103

Common jukugo
何か - なに　か nani ka - something
何時 - なん　じ nan ji - what time
何才 - なん　さい nan sai - how old (of a person)
何歳 - なん　さい nan sai - what age, how old

Useful Examples
Japanese: 今何時ですか？
Romaji: ima nanji desu ka?
English: What time is it now?

Japanese: 今何時ですか？
Romaji: ima nan ji desu ka?
English: What time is it now?

Japanese: 電話番号は何ですか？
Romaji: denwa bangou wa nan desu ka?
English: What is your phone number?

Japanese: 冬休みには何をしますか？
Romaji: fuyu yasumi ni wa nani o shimasu ka?
Literal: Winter - rest - (in, as for) - what - (d.o. marker) - do - (question)
English: What will you do during Winter vacation?

Japanese: 果物の中で何が一番好きですか？
Romaji: kudamono no naka de nani ga ichiban suki desu ka?
Literal: fruits-(possessive)-among-at-what-(subject marker)-best-like-question
English: Among all fruit, what do you like the best?

Japanese: 彼は何でもお金に換算してしまう。
Romaji: Kare wa nandemo okane ni kansanshiteshimau.
Literal: He anything money as evaluates.
English: He thinks of everything in terms of money.

Japanese: 部屋の中の人々は何も言わなかった。
Romaji: heya no naka no hitobito wa nani mo iwanakatta.
English: People in the room didn't say anything.

Japanese: １９９０年の主な出来事は何でしたか。
Romaji: 1990 nen no omo na dekigoto wa nan deshita ka.
English: What were the chief events of 1990?

Japanese: この印は何をあらわしていますか。
Romaji: kono in wa nani o arawashite imasu ka.
English: What does this sign signify.

Japanese: 当局は自国の通貨を何とか安定させた。
Romaji: toukyoku wa jikoku no tsuuka o nantoka antei saseta.
English: The authorities managed to stabilize the currency.

Japanese: この野菜は英語で何と言いますか。
Romaji: kono yasai wa eigo de nan to iimasu ka.
English: What do you call this vegetable in English.

Japanese: 食堂は何時にあきますか。
Romaji: shokudou wa nanji ni akimasu ka.
English: What time does the dining room open?

Japanese: 荷物は何個ですか。
Romaji: nimotsu wa nanko desu ka.
English: How many bags did you have?

Japanese: 「何故行かないの」「行きたくないからさ」
Romaji: "naze ikanai no." "ikitakunai kara sa."
English: Why aren't you going? Because I don't want to.

Japanese: 昼食用にサンドイッチか何かを作って上げましょう。
Romaji: chuushoku you ni sandoicchi ka nani ka o tsukutte agemashou.
English: I'll fix a sandwich or something for your lunch.

Japanese: 学生たちは何時間もその計画について話し合った。
Romaji: gakuseitachi wa nanjikan mo sono keikaku ni tsuite hanashi atta.
English: The students discussed the plan for many hours.

Japanese: 週に何回そのサッカーチームは練習するんですか。
Romaji: shuu ni nankai sono sakka-chi-mu wa renshuu suru n desu ka.
English: How many times a week does the soccer team practice?

Look alike kanji

Notes/Mnemonic
This is a useful one

Many example sentences are from the Tanaka Corpus as modified for use with WWWJDIC.