Question
I often watch anime online and there is one word that characters often say in the anime that really makes me curious. What do they mean when they say “Nani??” especially when the characters are agitated?
Answer by Professional Japanese Teacher
The word “nani” means “what”. It usually appears as part of a question, for example, “なにを食(た)べますか Nani o tabemasu ka” (What are you going to eat?).
We usually see anime characters exclaiming “Nani??” in fighting scenes in the anime. The characters use “nani” to express surprise, frustration, shock, disbelief, dismay, or anger at their current situation. For example, they may say “なに？もう一度(いちど)言(い)ってみろ！ Nani? Mooichido ittemiro!” (What? Try saying that again!)
Therefore, if you were to use the word “nani” as a direct equivalent to “what”, it may sound rude to the listener. In this case, if you wish to ask, “What is it?”, you can use “なんですか。Nan desu ka?” to be polite.
For more interrogative expressions such as “what is it” or “where is it”, check out our following article!
