何(なん)〜

なん
prefix
what (kind of), how many
1. what (kind of)
Prefix used with certain nouns to ask 'what' or 'which' type of something.
何(なん)曜日(ようび)に会(あ)いましょうか。
What day of the week shall we meet?
何(なん)時(じ)に起(お)きますか。
What time do you wake up?
何(なん)月(がつ)に生(う)まれましたか。
What month were you born in?
何(なん)語(ご)を勉強(べんきょう)していますか。
What language are you studying?
何(なん)番(ばん)ですか。
What number is it?
2. how many, how much
Used with counters to ask about quantity.
何(なん)人(にん)いますか。
How many people are there?
With counter
何(なん)回(かい)行(い)きましたか。
How many times did you go?
何(なん)個(こ)ありますか。
How many are there?
何(なん)歳(さい)ですか。
How old are you?
何(なん)本(ぽん)買(か)いましたか。
How many (bottles/pens) did you buy?

PRONUNCIATION: なん vs なに

  • なん: Before た/だ/な row sounds and counters
  • なに: Before other sounds, or standalone

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • 何(なん)時(じ) (what time)
  • 何(なん)曜日(ようび) (what day of the week)
  • 何(なん)人(にん) (how many people)
  • 何(なん)個(こ) (how many items)
  • 何(なん)歳(さい) (how old)
  • 何(なん)月(がつ) (what month)
  • 何(なん)日(にち) (what day of the month)
  • 何(なん)番(ばん) (what number)

ALSO:

  • 何(なん)で (why; by what means)
  • 何(なん)でも (anything, whatever)
  • 何(なん)とか (somehow, something or other)

Related Words

Related: 何(なに)
basic
Added 2026.1.11 21:08 · Revised 2026.1.19 20:37
03000/03100_nan