Structure
Verb + ことか
[い]Adjective + ことか
[な]Adjective + な + ことか
Noun + である + ことか
Details
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Standard
使用域
一般
About ことか
Like ことに, ことか is a grammar point that utilizes the kanji 殊, meaning 'particularly' (in terms of a large amount). As these structures regularly appear in hiragana, they are not to be confused with 事 'thing'. こと is a combination of 'particularly', and the case marking particle か, presenting a question.
In sentences with ことか, words that highlight some particular number or extent are often used, before ことか comes at the end of the statement, expressing that 'extent' as being particularly unusual, or even unbelievable (thanks to the addition of か). This is often translated simply as 'how (A)', 'what (A)', or even 'god knows (A)'. Let's look at a few examples.
In sentences with ことか, words that highlight some particular number or extent are often used, before ことか comes at the end of the statement, expressing that 'extent' as being particularly unusual, or even unbelievable (thanks to the addition of か). This is often translated simply as 'how (A)', 'what (A)', or even 'god knows (A)'. Let's look at a few examples.
- あの人のコンサートには何回いったことか。God knows how many times I have gone to that person's concert.
- うちの犬はどんなに可愛いことか。こんなに可愛いワンチャンは他にはいないはず。How can I explain how cute my dog is? There is no other dog as cute as her.
- なんて暇なことか。こんなに暇なのは久しぶりだ。God knows how bored I am. It's been a long time since I've been this bored.
- 息子を一人で電車に乗せるのがどれだけ心配であることか。God knows how worried I am to let my kid on the train by himself.
Caution
In modern Japanese, this expression is used primarily in written language, and has a tendency to sound either poetic, or dramatic. Because of this, it may sound unnatural in daily speech, unless the speaker is purposely being dramatic.- どれだけお前の事を愛していたことか!それでも俺はお前に裏切られた!God knows how much I loved you! Still, you betrayed me.
- 知らない人にありがとうと言われるのがどれだけ嬉しいことか。God knows how nice it feels to have a stranger thank you.
Synonyms
Examples
これをどれだけ待っていたことか。
God knows how long I have waited for this!
文法を勉強するためのサイトを今まで何度、試したことか!
Until now, god knows how many sites I have tried learning grammar on!
文プロがあってどんなに便利なことか!
How convenient it is to have Bunpro!
君に会えてどんなに嬉しかったことか。
How happy I was after meeting you!
子供のころ、この喫茶店に行ったことがある。あの時のドーナツは、何とうまかったことか。
When I was a child, there was a time we went to this coffee shop. God knows how delicious these donuts were!
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ことか – Grammar Discussion
Most Recent Replies (1 in total)
testing
What does that mean? It’s also on the Bunpro page, but from a quick search, neither the information section nor the examples mention either of them at all.
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