何(なん)でも

なんでも
pronoun; adverb
anything; everything
1. anything; everything
Refers to any thing without restriction; whatever one wants.
何(なん)でも食(た)べる。
I eat anything.
何(なん)でもいいよ。
Anything is fine.
何(なん)でも知(し)っている。
I know everything.
困(こま)ったことがあれば何(なん)でも聞(き)いてね。
If you have any problems, ask me anything.
私(わたし)の兄(あに)は本(ほん)が好(す)きで、何(なん)でも読(よ)む。歴史(れきし)も小説(しょうせつ)も読(よ)む。
My brother likes books and reads anything. He reads history and novels.
2. I hear that; they say that
Used to introduce hearsay or reported information.
何(なん)でも、雨(あめ)らしい。
I hear it's going to rain.
何(なん)でも、彼(かれ)は転職(てんしょく)するらしい。
I hear he's changing jobs.
何(なん)でも、来月(らいげつ)新(あたら)しい店(みせ)ができるそうだ。
I hear a new store is opening next month.
何(なん)でも、先生(せんせい)は来週(らいしゅう)休(やす)みだって。
I hear the teacher is off next week.
何(なん)でも、あの二人(ふたり)は高校(こうこう)の時(とき)から友達(ともだち)らしい。今(いま)も仲(なか)がいいそうだ。
I hear those two have been friends since high school. Apparently they're still close now.
3. by all means; at any cost
Expresses determination or strong desire to achieve something.
何(なん)でも勝(か)ちたい。
I want to win by any means.
何(なん)でも手(て)に入(い)れたい。
I want to get it at any cost.
何(なん)でも成功(せいこう)したい。
I want to succeed by all means.
何(なん)でもあの会社(かいしゃ)に入(はい)りたい。
I want to join that company by any means.
彼(かれ)は何(なん)でもあのチームに入(はい)りたいと言(い)っていた。本当(ほんとう)に努力(どりょく)したそうだ。
He said he wanted to join that team by any means. Apparently he really worked hard.

何(なん)でも has several distinct uses.

ANYTHING/EVERYTHING:

  • 何(なん)でも食(た)べる (eat anything)
  • 何(なん)でもいい (anything is fine)
  • 何(なん)でも知(し)っている (know everything)

HEARSAY (sentence-initial):

  • 何(なん)でも〜らしい/そうだ (I hear that ~)
  • Common way to introduce rumors or secondhand information

BY ALL MEANS:

  • 何(なん)でも手(て)に入(い)れたい (want to get it by any means)
  • Less common usage

RELATED EXPRESSIONS:

  • 何(なに)も (nothing - with negative)
  • 何(なに)か (something)
  • 誰(だれ)でも (anyone)
  • 何(いつ)でも (anytime)
  • 何処(どこ)でも (anywhere)

Related Words

Contrast: 何(なに)も (nothing)
Related: 何(なに)か (something)
basic
Added 2026.1.13 12:14 · Revised 2026.2.5 11:22
00000/00304_nandemo