Meaning
The kanji 何 is one of the most frequently used characters in everyday Japanese. Its primary meanings are "what", "which", and "how many". It is an interrogative character — appearing in questions about identity, quantity, time, reason, or manner. Asking someone's name, checking the time, counting objects on a table: 何 turns up in all of it.
Etymologically, 何 combines two elements. The left side is the radical 亻 (a simplified form of 人, meaning "person"). The right side is 可, which historically contributed a phonetic value. Together, the character evolved to express asking about a person or thing — essentially "who" or "what" in early Chinese. In modern Japanese, the "person" nuance has faded and 何 is used broadly for any interrogative context.
This kanji has 7 strokes and is taught in Grade 2 of Japanese elementary school. Despite being a second-grade character, it appears at JLPT N5 — it is critical vocabulary from the very first week of Japanese study. The 亻 (person radical) on the left is a quiet reminder of the character's human origins.
In Vietnamese, this kanji corresponds to the Sino-Vietnamese reading HÀ (as in 如何 — NHƯ HÀ, meaning "how" or "what is it like"). Chinese learners will recognize 何 at a glance — the Mandarin character 何 (hé) carries the same meaning of "what" or "why", making this one of the easier bridges between the two writing systems.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi reading of 何 is カ (ka). Derived from ancient Chinese pronunciation, it survives today mostly in set phrases and classical expressions. You will rarely hear it in casual conversation, but it is worth knowing for formal written contexts and older texts.
- 如何 (ikaga) — How are you? / How about it? (polite, used when offering something or asking a preference)
- 如何 (ikan) — How things stand; the state of affairs (formal/literary)
- 何故 (naze) — Why
In practice, modern learners encounter カ most often in 如何 — a polite expression you will hear in shops, restaurants, and formal settings.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The kun'yomi readings are なに (nani) and なん (nan). These are the forms you will reach for every day in spoken Japanese. Knowing when to use each one is an early and important distinction for beginners.
なに (nani) is used when 何 stands alone or precedes words beginning with certain consonants (particularly non-nasal sounds). It typically appears at the end of a question or before particles like が, を, か, and も.
- 何 (nani) — What? (standalone question)
- 何か (nanika) — Something; anything
- 何も (nanimo) — Nothing (used with negative verbs)
なん (nan) is used before words beginning with d, t, or n sounds, and before counters. It fits more naturally in speech before these sounds due to phonological assimilation.
- 何時 (nanji) — What time?
- 何年 (nannen) — What year? / How many years?
- 何でも (nandemo) — Anything; everything; no matter what
Common Words & Compounds
As an interrogative base, 何 combines freely with time words, counters, and nouns to build a wide range of question words. These are the compounds that come up most in real conversation.
Time & Calendar Questions
- 何時 (nanji) — What time?
- 何月 (nangatsu) — What month?
- 何日 (nannichi) — What day? / How many days?
- 何年 (nannen) — What year? / How many years?
- 何曜日 (nan yōbi) — What day of the week?
Quantity & Number Questions
- 何人 (nannin) — How many people?
- 何回 (nankai) — How many times?
- 何番 (nanban) — What number?
- 何枚 (nanmai) — How many flat things? (sheets, tickets, etc.)
- 何冊 (nansatsu) — How many books?
General Interrogatives
- 何か (nanika) — Something; anything
- 何も (nanimo) — Nothing (+ negative); everything (+ positive, informal)
- 何でも (nandemo) — Anything; everything
- 何語 (nanigo) — What language?
- 何故 (naze) — Why?
- 何とか (nantoka) — Somehow; one way or another
Example Sentences
今日は何曜日ですか。
Kyō wa nan yōbi desu ka.
What day of the week is today?
今、何時ですか。
Ima, nanji desu ka.
What time is it now?
これは何ですか。
Kore wa nan desu ka.
What is this?
何が食べたいですか。
Nani ga tabetai desu ka.
What do you want to eat?
冷蔵庫に何かありますか。
Reizōko ni nanika arimasu ka.
Is there anything in the refrigerator?
あなたの誕生日は何月何日ですか。
Anata no tanjōbi wa nangatsu nannichi desu ka.
What month and day is your birthday?
何語が話せますか。
Nanigo ga hanasemasu ka.
What languages can you speak?
この映画を何回見ましたか。
Kono eiga wo nankai mimashita ka.
How many times have you watched this movie?
何もわからないので、もう一度説明してください。
Nanimo wakaranai node, mō ichido setsumei shite kudasai.
I don't understand anything, so please explain it one more time.
何とかなりますよ。心配しないで。
Nantoka narimasu yo. Shinpai shinaide.
It'll work out somehow. Don't worry.
Related Kanji
- 今 — Now, Present (Kanji N5)
- 万 — Ten Thousand (Kanji N5)
- 南 — South (Kanji N5)
- 時 — Time, Hour (Kanji N5)
- 半 — Half (Kanji N5)
- 前 — Before, In Front (Kanji N5)
Memory Tip
Picture a person (亻) frozen on a street corner — arms spread, eyes wide, calling out 「何？何？何？」(Nani? Nani? Nani?). The left side of the character is that very person radical (亻): a confused human silhouette, utterly baffled. Whenever 何 appears, recall that bewildered figure. Use it enough and the image will stick on its own. For Vietnamese learners, there is an extra hook: HÀ echoes hà cớ gì (what reason) — the same questioning spirit, centuries apart.