“〜nado・〜nanka・〜nante”: Listing and Disparagement [JLPT N3]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

「本や雑誌など」「私なんか」「来るなんて」 — listing, self-deprecation, or surprise.

「映画など」「問題なんか」「解けるなんて」 — など・なんか・なんて side by side

「週末は映画などを見る」 (listing), 「こんな問題なんか簡単だ」 (belittling), 「彼が解けるなんて」 (surprise) — 「など・なんか・なんて」 all come from 「など」, but differ in feel and formality: など = listing “~ and such” (more formal/written); なんか = listing (colloquial) or belittling; なんて = belittling/surprise, quoting. This guide sorts out these three functions at once, alongside 「とか」 (the belittling-quotation 〈なんて〉 and 〈などと言う〉 have their own guides).

Core: all three come from など, but split by function

The core is “same origin, divided by function”:

• など = listing “~ and such” (formal, neutral): 本や雑誌などを読む (read books, magazines, and such).
• なんか = listing (colloquial) or belittling/humble: お茶なんかどう？ (how about some tea or something? — colloquial listing) / 私なんかまだまだです (someone like me is far from good enough — humbling/self-belittling).
• なんて = belittling, surprise, quoting: 君に負けるなんて (to think I'd lose to you — surprise) / 勉強なんて大嫌い (I hate studying and the like — belittling).

Feel: など neutral listing, なんか colloquial listing/belittling, なんて belittling/surprise.

The Three Side by Side

Example sentences

• 週末は映画などを見て過ごす。(I spend weekends watching movies and such.) — など (listing, neutral)
• 疲れたときは、甘いものなんかいいよ。(When you're tired, something sweet or the like is nice.) — なんか (colloquial listing)
• 私なんかが言うのもおこがましいですが…(It's presumptuous for someone like me to say this, but…) — なんか (humble)
• こんな簡単な問題なんて、誰でも解ける。(A simple problem like this — anyone can solve it.) — なんて (belittling)
• 彼が優勝するなんて、思ってもみなかった。(To think he'd win — I never imagined it.) — なんて (surprise)

⚠️ Easy traps to avoid

① など (formal listing)／なんか (colloquial listing/belittling)／なんて (belittling/surprise) differ in register. など = neutral listing “~ and such,” more formal/written (news, formal writing: 資料や書類など); なんか = the colloquial version of など (listing), or belittling/humble (お茶なんか = some tea or something, 私なんか = someone like me); なんて = colloquial, mostly belittling or surprise (宿題なんて = homework and the like, まさか〜なんて = to think that …). For formal listing use など, colloquial なんか, belittling/surprise なんて.

② 「なんか／なんて」 carry a belittling, disparaging tone. These two often carry the emotion of “looking down on, dismissing”: 勉強なんかしたくない (I don't want to study, of all things), あんな店なんて二度と行かない (I'll never go to a place like that again). Applied to oneself it's humbling (私なんか = someone like me), applied to other things it's belittling (〜なんか, 〜なんて). For neutral listing don't use these two (they add disparagement) — use など.

③ Separate it from 「とか」 (colloquial listing). とか = colloquial listing “~ and, ~ or such” (listing several examples, casual) (映画とかカフェとか = movies and cafés and such); など = the more formal “~ and such.” For casual listing of a few things use とか, for formal writing use など. とか often comes in pairs (AとかBとか), など can stand alone (Aなど). (The belittling-quotation 「なんて(言う)」「などと言う」: see their own guides.)

🔄 Compare: など／なんか／なんて／とか

💡 The key point in use

「など・なんか・なんて」 all come from 「など」, but their functions and feel differ — this is the key: ① など = listing “~ and such” (neutral, more formal/written) (本や雑誌など = books, magazines, and such); ② なんか = the colloquial version of など (listing), or belittling/humble (お茶なんか = some tea or something, 私なんか = someone like me — humble, 勉強なんか = studying and the like — belittling); ③ なんて = colloquial, mostly belittling or surprise (負けるなんて = to think I'd lose, 宿題なんて = homework and the like). Remember: など neutral listing (formal), なんか colloquial listing or belittling, なんて belittling or surprise. For formal listing use など, casual なんか/とか, with emotion (disparagement/astonishment) なんて. (The belittling quotation 「〜なんて言う／などと言う」: see its own guide.)

❓ Questions you might have

Q: How do I tell 「など」, 「なんか」, and 「なんて」 apart?

Same origin (all from 「など」), differing in function and register. 「など」 = listing “~ and such” (neutral, more formal/written, giving examples of a like kind): 会議には社長や部長などが出席した (the president, managers, and such attended the meeting — formal listing), 果物、たとえばりんごや桃など (fruit, for example apples, peaches, and such). It's the most neutral, formal listing. 「なんか」 = ① the colloquial version of など (listing, casual); ② belittling, humble (with emotion): 週末は映画なんか見たいな (I'd like to see a movie or something this weekend — colloquial listing), こんなミスなんか気にするな (don't fret over a little mistake like this — belittling), 私なんかにできるかな (can someone like me do it? — humble). It's colloquial, often with a disparaging/self-deprecating emotion. 「なんて」 = ① belittling (dismissing something); ② surprise, astonishment; ③ quoting (with belittling): 野菜なんて大嫌い (I hate vegetables and the like — belittling), 君が来るなんて驚いた (I was surprised you'd come — surprise), 「無理」なんて言わないで (don't go saying “impossible” — quoting). It's colloquial, with the most obvious emotion (belittling or surprise). So: neutral formal listing → など; colloquial listing or belittling/humble → なんか; belittling/surprise/quoting → なんて. In short: など (formal listing) < なんか (colloquial listing + belittling) < なんて (belittling/surprise, strongest emotion).

Q: Why do 「なんか」「なんて」 carry a belittling sense? Which do I use for neutral listing?

Because besides listing, 「なんか・なんて」 have developed an emotional use of “belittling, looking down on” — treating the mentioned thing as “no big deal, beneath one”: お金なんかいらない (I don't want money, of all things — belittling money's importance), 勉強なんてつまらない (studying and the like is boring — dismissing studying), あいつなんか大嫌いだ (I hate that guy — belittling someone). Applied to oneself it becomes humble (belittling oneself): 私なんかまだまだです (someone like me is far from good enough), 僕なんてとても及びません (someone like me falls far short). So 「なんか・なんて」 carry clear emotion (belittling others or self-deprecation). If you just want to neutrally list “~ and such” (no disparagement), use 「など」: 資料や参考書などを準備する (prepare materials, reference books, and such — neutral). ✗ 資料や参考書なんかを準備する (adds a “materials and stuff (whatever)” belittling flavor, improper in formal settings). Mnemonic: neutral listing → など (formal); with belittling/humble/surprise emotion → なんか・なんて (colloquial).

🖊️ Practice Quiz

Q1. 彼女は料理が上手で、パスタ_____得意です。

(A) など　(B) なんか　(C) とか　(D) や

Q2. こんな簡単な問題_____、誰でも解けるよ。

(A) なんか　(B) など　(C) なんて　(D) とか

Q3. 週末は映画_____、カフェに行くのが好きです。

(A) なんか　(B) なんて　(C) など　(D) とか

Q4. ビール_____ワインを飲みます。

(A) なんか　(B) とか　(C) なんて　(D) など

Q5. 試験_____簡単に合格できるよ。

(A) なんて　(B) など　(C) とか　(D) や

Answer Key

1. (A) など ── など lists a representative example (pasta among dishes), more formal.

2. (C) なんて ── なんて expresses disdain (such an easy problem); ‘anyone can solve it.'

3. (D) とか ── とか lists casual examples (movies, cafes) for weekend activities.

4. (B) とか ── とか lists multiple options: ビールとかワイン.

5. (A) なんて ── なんて expresses disdain toward the exam (it's so easy you can pass easily).