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B is called A

  1. B is called A
  2. It's said that A (hearsay, rumor, report, or legend)
  3. A is information about B
    B is often words such as 話, 規則, 情報, or other terms expressing a collection of information.
  4. All A; every A; this (very) A
    (A and B are the same noun) Gives stronger emphasis than simply listing the noun A by itself.
Join for free or Login to study this and other grammar in the lesson Objects (の,で,を)!
好
16点
「 心 」 という 小 説 を 読 ん だ こと が あります か 。 
Have you read the novel called 'Heart' ?
好
14点
「 愛 」 という 言 葉 は 信 じ ら れ な い 
I can't believe in that thing called 'Love.'
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14点
「 桜 」 という 曲 、 聞 い た こと ある の ？ 
Have you ever heard the song called "Sakura"?
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11点
「 ケンジ 」 という 人 を 知 っ て い ま す か 。 
Do you know a person named "Kenji"?

Getting the sentences
Construction
(Elements in parentheses are optional.)
ANoun
と
いう
BNoun
Basic Examples:
ワンダというさかな (a fish called Wanda)

Where this grammar is found
Genki II (2nd Edition): Chapter 20
Nihongo So-Matome N3 (日本語総まとめ）: 第２週　４日目
Nihongo So-Matome N4 (日本語総まとめ): 第２週　５日目
新完全マスター文法 N3: 第２部　３課
renshuu schedule packs: N5 Grammar pack
JLPT N5 / Beginner: Objects (の,で,を)


User notes
好
0点

In casual and semi-formal/semi-polite speech, という can be replaced with って:
「桜」という曲を聴いたことがありますか？ could become 「桜」って曲を聴いたことがあるの？/あるんすか？/あるんですか？
[see という/って]
3 years ago
avatar guest
好
5点

Another English translation with a different nuance is "by the name of." For example: A wizard by the name of Harry Potter. ハリーポッターという魔法使い。
11 years ago
avatar Avi Drucker - Level 3
 
It's said that A (hearsay, rumor, report, or legend)

  1. B is called A
  2. It's said that A (hearsay, rumor, report, or legend)
  3. A is information about B
    B is often words such as 話, 規則, 情報, or other terms expressing a collection of information.
  4. All A; every A; this (very) A
    (A and B are the same noun) Gives stronger emphasis than simply listing the noun A by itself.
Join for free or Login to study this and other grammar in the lesson Sentence Endings!
好
5点
昔 この 池 の 中 に 河童 が いた という 。 
It's said that there was a kappa (mythical creature) in this pond long ago.
好
0点
彼 は 地 元 の 大 学 を 卒 業 し て 、 東 京 に 出 た という 。 
I heard that he graduated from a local university and left for Tokyo.

Getting the sentences
Construction
(Elements in parentheses are optional.)
ASentence
という
Where this grammar is found
新完全マスター文法 N3: 第１部　７課
JLPT N4 / Intermediate: Sentence Endings ①


User notes
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A is information about B
B is often words such as 話, 規則, 情報, or other terms expressing a collection of information.

  1. B is called A
  2. It's said that A (hearsay, rumor, report, or legend)
  3. A is information about B
    B is often words such as 話, 規則, 情報, or other terms expressing a collection of information.
  4. All A; every A; this (very) A
    (A and B are the same noun) Gives stronger emphasis than simply listing the noun A by itself.
好
12点
一 日 一 善 と は 、 一 日 一 回 いい こと する と いう 意 味 だ よ 。 
"Ichi nichi ichi zen" means to do a good thing every day.
好
4点
近 所 に 新 し い パン 屋 さん が できる という 話 を 聞 い た ？ 
Did you hear the talk about a new bakery will be made in the neighborhood?

Getting the sentences
Construction
(Elements in parentheses are optional.)
AVerb Phrase
という
BNoun
Basic Examples:
くじらにくわれたというはなし (a story about being eaten by a whale)

Where this grammar is found
新完全マスター文法 N3: 第２部　３課
JLPT N3 / Intermediate: Jumble Question Pack ②


User notes
No user notes have been added. Logged-in users can add user notes.
 
All A; every A; this (very) A
(A and B are the same noun) Gives stronger emphasis than simply listing the noun A by itself.

  1. B is called A
  2. It's said that A (hearsay, rumor, report, or legend)
  3. A is information about B
    B is often words such as 話, 規則, 情報, or other terms expressing a collection of information.
  4. All A; every A; this (very) A
    (A and B are the same noun) Gives stronger emphasis than simply listing the noun A by itself.
好
0点
この 時 期 の 家 という 家 は クリスマス の 飾 り で 輝 い て い る 。 
In this season, every house shines with Christmas decorations.
好
0点
この 町 の 道 という 道 は 本 当 に 狭 い ん だ 。 
All the roads in this town are really narrow.

Getting the sentences
These user sentences have been verified by a native speaker.

avatar
無風
Level: 3
(10 years ago)
4年前、このブラウスというブラウスを着てる、彼を抱き締めた
4 years ago I hugged him in this very blouse
0
9
Loading user sentences...

Construction
(Elements in parentheses are optional.)
ANoun
という
BNoun
Basic Examples:
きょうというきょう (this very day)

Rarity
This is a rare form of という. The other definition on this page is more common, and can handle situations where nouns A and B are not the same.
Where this grammar is found
Nihongo So-Matome N1 (日本語総まとめ): 第７週　１日目
JLPT N1 / Advanced: Jumble Question Pack ②


User notes
No user notes have been added. Logged-in users can add user notes.

Discussion about this grammar
Gengogakusya
Years Studied: Too many
Studying: How to teach Japanese better
Level: 1, 好 : 5
It seems that iu in "to iu" is usually written in hiragana rather than in kanji, since its original meaning of "saying" has weakened.
好
3点
13 years ago
dfperfume
Years Studied: 1
Studying: JLPT 4級
Level: 1, 好 : 27
How do you ask what something is called?
好
0点
13 years ago
avatar
マイコー
Site admin
 Level: 109, 好 : 6,621
'What is this called' : これは何(なん)というんですか？ should work, I believe.
好
3点
13 years ago
dfperfume
Years Studied: 1
Studying: JLPT 4級
Level: 1, 好 : 27
Mmm. I kind of get it. It's like 何 just replaced the name. Thank you.
好
1点
13 years ago
avatar
モモ姫
Years Studied: 6
Studying: N2
Level: 1, 好 : 170
This is sort of a nitpicking point, but for grammatical structures like ‾という and ‾ものだ, you aren't supposed to use kanji. Or so I've been told by my professors in Japan ^^;
好
4点
12 years ago
avatar
マイコー
Site admin
 Level: 109, 好 : 6,621
Thanks (you're right); adjusted it so the kanji for 言う is suppressed.
好
1点
12 years ago
avatar
mysticfive
Years Studied: since 2000
Studying: 自分のため、日本語教師だから
Level: 910, 好 : 4,992
for the second meaning, I think instead of 'All' A, it might be better to use 'This' A instead - for example,　今度という今度は許せない I can't forgive you this time, or 今日という今日は彼に愛想が尽きた I ran out of patience with him this very day.
好
3点
11 years ago
avatar
マイコー
Site admin
 Level: 109, 好 : 6,621
I believe that is an additional way of reading it, instead of a replacement. I did recall seeing sentences like that as well.
好
1点
11 years ago
avatar
wiseguy12851
Years Studied: 0
Studying: JLPT N5
Level: 1, 好 : 0
Whenever words written in Kanji or have a Kanji form are used in grammatical ways like in combination with te-form verbs or or the examples above it's usually not written in Kanji because it's really being used for grammar reasons and not vocabulary reasons. A rough equivalent is the kana は pronounced "wa" when used for grammar reasons but "ha" when not.
好
0点
11 years ago
avatar
ベン
Years Studied: 20
Studying: JLPT N3
Level: 35, 好 : 34
I believe Noun A and Noun B should be different such as in コーヒーという飲み物。今日という今日　is more of a rare exception to the rule. Other uses are more of a verbal air quote such as in 果物という果物が食べたい I want to eat "the fruit"! This was verified after an in depth decision on this grammar point with my native speaker wife.
好
1点
10 years ago (Edited 10 years ago.)
avatar
マイコー
Site admin
 Level: 109, 好 : 6,621
Are you referring to the using コーヒーという飲み物 as a better example for the second definition, or suggesting that it should be marked to suggest that the first definition on the page is the common one, and the second one is rather rare (which is probably why it isn't introduced until the N1 level of the JLPT).
好
0点
10 years ago
avatar
ベン
Years Studied: 20
Studying: JLPT N3
Level: 35, 好 : 34
I think that the first definition should be marked as the common one used and the second with the caveat that it is a rare usage. Also, the example should be changed to something that reflets Noun A という　Noun B wherin the nouns are diffrent.コーヒーという飲み物、今日という日　might serve as a better example. 今日という今日　is more of a set phrase.
好
1点
10 years ago
avatar
マイコー
Site admin
 Level: 109, 好 : 6,621
I can definitely make those changes - it will add a bit more context to help users distinguish the usages. You talk about the examples: are you suggesting using コーヒーという飲み物、今日という日 as examples for the second meaning? For the second (rare) meaning, you need to keep the nouns the same, correct?
好
0点
10 years ago
avatar
ベン
Years Studied: 20
Studying: JLPT N3
Level: 35, 好 : 34
Yes for the second meaning コーヒーという飲み物、今日という日 could be used as examples for when the nouns are diffrent. For the rare meaning the nouns I believe should stay the same as in 今日という今日。 I tried to find other examples of this "noun + という + same noun", but came up empty.
好
1点
10 years ago
avatar
マイコー
Site admin
 Level: 109, 好 : 6,621
Added a bit on rarity for the second case, and emphasized that it is only for the same nouns, and that the other one handles different nouns.
好
0点
10 years ago
avatar
lostinwakayama
Level: 1, 好 : 75
This may definitely be me just using it wrong, but I've used という in a different manner and people caught on to the intended meaning easily enough. I guess I'm just checking if I was speaking properly or the people I said it to know me well enough to catch what I meant... or perhaps the meaning is close enough that it works? For example, my wife said she was going to go shopping with her mother, and that it shouldn't take more than half an hour. Did I want to come along? I said 「そうですね。。。30分というんですけど。。。」 with the indication that I really didn't believe they'd be shopping for only 30 minutes. My father-in-law and wife caught on to that right away, and I won't deny it might be because they know me well. Or is it somehow different? Sorry, my Japanese expressions used in actual life sometimes don't match what I try to learn online. :P
好
0点
8 years ago
avatar
マイコー
Site admin
 Level: 109, 好 : 6,621
I don't think there is any conflict here - in your example, という isn't という as a set piece of grammar, but rather, と and いう - the particle plus いう. I read that sentence with と being the conditional "if that's the case", so "If you're saying that it's (the case that) going to be thirty minutes, then, well...." I would see something like のに as falling into the same potential trap. There is the grammar for のに, and then there is the used of の to nominalize the previous verb and then refer to that in a non-surprising/disappointed way: ケーキの作るのにレンジが必要です。
好
2点
8 years ago
avatar
Karlla
Years Studied: Many on and off
Studying: N2
Level: 653, 好 : 2,868
In the phrase 誰かがいなくなるという事件 the という can hardly be translated as 'is called'. It is much closer to ということ, but since it doesn't use こと, I'm at a loss, where to put my sentence.
好
1点
3 years ago
avatar
マイコー
Site admin
 Level: 109, 好 : 6,621
Just added a new meaning for you!
好
0点
3 years ago
avatar
Karlla
Years Studied: Many on and off
Studying: N2
Level: 653, 好 : 2,868
Thank you.
好
0点
3 years ago
avatar
|マルコ|
Years Studied: ？？？
Studying: JLPT N2/N1 -------- 44 Games Completed in Japanese
Level: 110, 好 : 343

I think the sentence under point 2 (It is said that) doesn't belong there and it belongs on point 3 instead.
The sentence is "彼らが婚約したと言うもっぱらの噂だ。"　which to me seems that the sentence before という is describing the 噂 the same way in the point 3 you have という知らせ、という意味、 という話 etc... (the ももっぱらの is just additiona description)
So that is という噂 which although is similar in the meaning of the point 2 " It's said that A (hearsay, rumor, report, or legend) " it differs in construction, since in that construction the という is meant to appear at the end.
Quoting DoBJG:

When という is used at the end of a sentence, it means hearsay ("I heard that ~, They say ~, It is said that ~"). The sentence final という is used only in written Japanese, as in (1).

(1)

学生の話によると吉田先生は教え方が非常に上手だという。

According to the students, Professor Yoshida's teaching method is very skillful.

This is why I think that sentence doesn't belong under point 2

好
0点
7 months ago (Edited 7 months ago.)
avatar
マイコー
Site admin
 Level: 109, 好 : 6,621

I went ahead and took that one out and replaced it with another example. I'm also double-checking the quiz contents to make sure they line up as well.

好
1点
7 months ago



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