GrammarJLPT N5
〜という
→ called
〜という – Called / Named / As Many As
JLPT N5Fixed phraseNeutral
〜という (often written in kana as 〜という) is a versatile expression built from the quotative particle と plus the verb 言う (to say). Its most fundamental use is to name or identify something, equivalent to English 'called' or 'named,' as in 'a place called Tokyo.' In this naming function, it connects a name or description to a noun, creating a relative-clause-like modifier. Beyond naming, 〜という can convey emphasis on a surprising or noteworthy quantity, functioning like 'as many as' or 'as much as' when placed after a number or amount. It can also be used to refer to every single instance of something, meaning 'all' or 'every,' as in 'every single person.' While the kanji form 〜と言う exists, the kana form 〜という is far more common in modern writing, especially when the expression functions as a modifier rather than literally meaning 'someone says.' Learners should distinguish 〜という from the simple quotative use of 〜と言う (to say that…), though both share the same origin.
Functions
#1 Naming or identifying something
Structure
Name + という + Noun
「さくら」という 店を 知っていますか。
Here という is used to identify a shop by its name. The name 「さくら」 is placed before という, and the noun it modifies (店) comes after. This pattern works like a relative clause in English: 'a shop called Sakura.' This is the most common and basic function of という, used whenever you want to introduce or refer to something by name.Do you know a shop called 'Sakura'?
Structures
- Naming (Noun + という + Noun)
- Name / Description + という + Noun
- Emphasis on quantity
- Number / Amount + という + Noun
- All / Every
- Noun + という + Same Noun
Common mistakes
A common mistake is confusing the naming function of という with the literal quotative meaning of と言う (to say). When modifying a noun to mean 'called' or 'named,' the expression functions as a fixed phrase and is usually written in kana (という), not with the kanji 言う. Another frequent error is omitting という when introducing unfamiliar names; unlike in English, you cannot simply place a name directly before a noun as a modifier in Japanese — you need という to link them. Learners also sometimes use という with well-known or obvious nouns where it is unnecessary, such as saying 「東京という町」 when speaking to someone who obviously knows Tokyo. Finally, the 'all/every' pattern (Noun + という + Noun) is sometimes mistakenly used with different nouns on each side, but this pattern requires the same noun to be repeated.
Related
〜という (quotative/naming)〜と言われている〜って (casual quotative)〜と (quotative particle)〜も (emphasis with quantity)〜と呼ぶ