Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 4: 13/17

と言(い)うEvery single, Each and every, Emphasis, Everything that could be called

Structure

Noun (A) + という + Noun (A)

Details

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About という

One of the uses of the extremely common という structure in Japanese is the pairing of identical nouns in order to convey the meaning of 'every single (A)'. In many cases, this expression will simply be used for emphasis, but the literal meaning is 'every (B) that could be called an (A)'.

という will be used between the same noun repeating itself.

Caution

When this structure is seen with abstract expressions like 今日(きょう) 'today', it will generally mean '(A) of all (A)'s'. This just implies that 'of anything that can be called (A), this particular one has something special about it'. What that special thing is will usually follow immediately after in the sentence.

  • 今日(きょう)という今日(きょう)は絶対(ぜったい)あいつを許(ゆる)さない！
    I will not forgive him today of all days!
  • 今度(こんど)という今度(こんど)は優勝(ゆうしょう)してみせる！
    I will win THIS TIME!

Examples

--:--

    「今日(きょう)という今日(きょう)は許(ゆる)さん。」

    'I absolutely will not allow it TODAY.' (emphasis)

    政治家(せいじか)という政治家(せいじか)はみんな口(くち)ばっかりだ。

    Every single politician is nothing but talk.

    それを聞(き)いて、人(ひと)という人(ひと)が一斉(いっせい)に頷(うなず)いた。

    Every single person nodded in unison when they heard that.

    山々(やまやま)に生(は)えた木(き)という木(き)は地(じ)すべりのため根(ね)こそぎ倒(たお)れていた。

    Every single tree that was growing on the mountain collapsed due to the landslide.

    名古屋(なごや)に生(う)まれて名古屋(なごや)で育(そだ)った。だから、町中(まちなか)の道(みち)という道(みち)、家(いえ)という家(いえ)を、すっかり知(し)っている。

    (They were) born and raised in Nagoya. Therefore, (they) know every single street and each and every house in the city.

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