What do you mean
Conversation phrases, Stage 1chunk 57 of 68Clarifying
Asks what or who they are referring to.
- dou iu koto?what do you mean?; what's going on?
- nan no koto?what do you mean?; what are you talking about?
- dare no koto?who do you mean?
- nan no hanashi?what are you talking about?
Mix-ups nan no hanashi? can sound like denial if said sharply.
dou iu koto?
polite dou iu koto desu ka
what do you mean?; what's going on?
Ask someone to explain something confusing or surprising; said sharply, it demands an explanation.
dou iu imi? asks only what a word or sentence means.
e, chuushi? dou iu koto?
Wait, cancelled? What do you mean?
え、中止？どういうこと？
e, chuushi desu ka? dou iu koto desu ka?
Wait, it's cancelled? What do you mean?
え、中止ですか？どういうことですか？
Written どういうこと？ · どういうこと · どういうことですかWho you say it and hear itHeard 2052× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
nan no koto?
polite nan no koto desu ka
what do you mean?; what are you talking about?
Asks what someone is referring to; often feigned innocence when accused of something.
Close to nan no hanashi; nan no koto points at one thing someone mentioned.
nan no koto? watashi, nani mo shiranai yo.
What are you talking about? I don't know anything.
何のこと？私、何も知らないよ。
nan no koto desu ka? watashi wa nani mo shirimasen.
What do you mean? I don't know anything.
何のことですか？私は何も知りません。
Written 何のこと？ · なんのこと · 何のことですかWho you say it and hear itHeard 602× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
dare no koto?
polite dare no koto desu ka?
who do you mean?
Asked when someone mentions a person you can't place.
'Nan no koto?' is the same question for things: 'what do you mean?'.
e, 'senpai' tte dare no koto?
Wait, who do you mean by 'senpai'?
え、「先輩」って誰のこと？
sumimasen, sore wa dare no koto desu ka?
Sorry, who do you mean?
すみません、それは誰のことですか？
Written 誰のこと？ · だれのこと？ · 誰のことですか？Who you say itHeard 159× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
nan no hanashi?
polite nan no hanashi desu ka
what are you talking about?
Ask when you've lost the thread, or play dumb about something you'd rather not discuss.
Joining a group, ask nan no hanashi shiteru no? (what are you all talking about?).
e, nan no hanashi? zenzen shiranai kedo.
Huh, what are you talking about? I've no idea.
え、何の話？全然知らないけど。
e, nan no hanashi desu ka? zenzen shiranai n desu kedo.
Huh, what are you talking about? I've no idea.
え、何の話ですか？全然知らないんですけど。
Written 何の話？ · なんのはなし · 何の話ですかWho you say it and hear itHeard 1037× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles