The Meaning of nanto [何と] In Japanese

何と
なんと
Romaji: nanto N5

What does 何と mean?

Translation and Meaning

how, what, what a

Definition

What does 何と mean? It is an exclamatory word that intensifies adjectives and verbs to express astonishment or emphasis, typically translated as ‘how’ or ‘what a …’ in English.

Type

exclamatory particle (adverbial use)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Exclamatory intensifier used before adjectives or verbs to express surprise or emphasis.
  • Highlights remarkable degree of quality or action, functioning similarly to ‘how’ or ‘what a’ in English.
  • Can introduce an exclamatory sentence or be embedded within a longer clause in narrative or formal text.

Composition

  • 何 = interrogative pronoun ‘what’ used here to cue the degree or nature of something
  • と = particle forming an exclamatory phrase by linking the interrogative to the following clause or adjective

Usage

Used across formal and casual speech to convey strong emotion. Typically placed immediately before an adjective or verb to emphasize degree, and can appear at the start of an exclamatory sentence or within one. In writing, it often marks literary or rhetorical emphasis; in speech, more common in lively or formal narration than in everyday casual talk.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine asking ‘what’ and then shouting in surprise; the kanji 何 looks curious and the particle と acts like a shout marker, giving you ‘What a …!’ at a moment of astonishment.

Variations

  • なんと (nante) — casual/exclamatory variant with similar meaning
  • なんて (nante) — more casual, often with stronger emphasis or sarcasm

Example Phrases

  • 今日は何とも言えないくらい忙しかった。
    Kyou wa nantomo ienai kurai isogashikatta.
    Today was unbelievably busy.
    Lista:
    • 今日 (kyou) – today
    • は (wa) – as for / topic marker
    • 何とも (nantomo) – indescribably
    • 言えない (ienai) – cannot say
    • くらい (kurai) – about / degree
    • 忙しかった (isogashikatta) – was busy
    何とも is used with a negative predicate to express an indescribable degree; here 「何とも言えないくらい」 means ‘to an indescribable extent’ of how busy you were.
  • 今日は何と暖かい日だ。
    Kyou wa nanto atatakai hi da.
    Today is such a warm day.
    Lista:
    • 今日 (kyou) – today
    • は (wa) – topic marker
    • 何と (nanto) – what a
    • 暖かい (atatakai) – warm
    • 日 (hi) – day
    • だ (da) – is
    何と is used to express surprise before an adjective; in this sentence it emphasizes 暖かい日, as in 「何と」暖かい日.
何と