Grammar Info
N3 Lesson 8: 1/22

なんて
such as, things like, emphasis

Notice that なんか generally follows nouns

Structure
Verb + なんて
[い]Adjective + なんて
[な]Adjective + なんて
Noun + なんて(1)

(1) なんか
Details
Register Standard
使用域 一般
Information
なんか is an expression in Japanese that is frequently associated with the 副助詞(ふくじょし) (adverbial particle) など. They are thought to have overlapping meanings in many circumstances, and なんか itself may be considered a 副助詞(ふくじょし). なんて is an extension of this, and may be considered an abbreviation of などという ‘to say something like’.
Both なんか and なんて are used in the same way as など, having translations like ‘such as’, and ‘things like’ in English. The primary difference between なんか and なんて is that なんて is far more common after 用言(ようげん) (conjugatable words). This includes verbs, い-Adjectives, and な-Adjectives. On the other hand, なんか is almost exclusively used after 体言(たいげん) (unconjugatable words). In other words, nouns.
  • こんな嵐(あらし)中(なか)走(はし)るなんて、頭(あたま)おかしいんじゃない
    You are going to do something like run in the storm? You must be crazy.
  • 北海道(ほっかいどう)こんな寒(さむ)いなんておもわなかった
    I didn't think Hokkaido would be this cold or anything.
  • 心配(しんぱい)なんてている場合(ばあい)じゃない。
    This is no time for things such as worrying.
  • テレビなんか叩(たた)けばだいたい直(なお)るだろ。
    Things like TV’s will be fixed most of the time if you hit them, right?
Despite the 体言(たいげん) and 用言(ようげん) tendency, most native speakers will not consider it incorrect to use either なんか or なんて with any type of word.
Fun Fact
Both なんか and なんて are often used to show a low evaluation of the word that they follow. This can come across as humility when used in relation to oneself, or as an insult when used in relation to others.
  • 私(わたし)なんか5年間(ねんかん)スペイン語(ご)勉強(べんきょう)ているのにまだ全然(ぜんぜん)会話(かいわ)できないです。 (Humility)
    I have studied Spanish for 5 years, but I can't speak it at all yet.
  • お前(まえ)なんてどうせ、家(いえ)ゴロゴロしているだけだろ。 (Insult)
    Someone like you probably just loafs around the house, don't you?
Don’t let this point stop you from using なんか or なんて though, as many native speakers use it simply to fill the silence in modern Japanese.
  • 酷(ひど)いこと言(い)った分(わ)かるんだけどなんか、情熱的(じょうねつてき)になって言(い)っちゃった。
    I am aware that I said something mean, but, you know, I said it because I got emotional.
Slow Male
Hide All
Hide Japanese
Hide English
あの強(つよ)いチームに勝(か)つなんて思(おも)わなかった。
Things like winning against that good team didn't even cross my mind.
Play  
紹介(しょうかい)なんていりません。自分(じぶん)で恋人(こいびと)を見(み)つけます。
I don't need things like referrals. I can find my own lover.
Play  
私(わたし)が太(ふと)っているなんて言(い)わないで。
Don't say things like I am fat.
Play  
Books
Tae Kim's Grammar Guide
Page 199
Tobira
Page 90
[AIAIJ] An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese
Page 247
A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar
Page 339