何でも
Meaning in Englishby all means, everything
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
What does 何でも mean? It is a flexible indefinite term meaning 'anything' or 'whatever' used to express no restriction on what is being discussed or chosen; it functions as a pronoun/adverb signaling broad inclusivity in casual to neutral speech.
Main meanings
- scope: broad inclusivity across items and possibilities
- emphatic usage in compounds such as 何でもかんでも to convey everything and anything
- the standalone phrase 何でもない meaning 'it's nothing'
How to use it
Used in casual to neutral contexts to indicate openness to any option or matter; in polite or formal settings speakers often opt for 何でも結構です or 何でも構いません to soften acceptance; common in everyday dialogue and messaging, with constructions like 何でもいい and 何でもない as separate phrases.
Variants and close terms
- どれでも — any, whichever (dore demo)
- 何も — nothing (nanimo)
- 何か — something (nanika)
Composition
- 何 means 'what' or 'which'; でも is the combination of the particle で (the connective form of だ/です) and も ('also/even'), together forming the indefinite meaning of 'anything' or 'whatever'
Etymology
etymology A phonetic blend from 何 (nan/nani) and でも (demo); in modern speech it is commonly read なんでも as nandemo, with assimilation of ん before で.
Word class
Indefinite pronoun / adverb (副詞・代名詞)