not in the least; nothing like that (でも何でもない /くも何ともない) – Japanese Grammar でも何でもない /くも何ともない (demo nan demo nai / kumo nan tomo nai)

Q: What JLPT level is でも何でもない /くも何ともない?

JLPT N1 — Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms

Q: How do you use でも何でもない /くも何ともない in a sentence?

Attach でも何でもない /くも何ともない to the appropriate verb or noun form. Not in the least; nothing like that

Q: Is でも何でもない /くも何ともない formal or casual Japanese?

でも何でもない /くも何ともない is typically used in formal or written Japanese contexts.

でも何でもない /くも何ともない

N1 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

demo nan demo nai / kumo nan tomo nai

not in the least; nothing like that

といい〜といい to ii~to ii 羽目になる hame ni naru ほどのことではない hodo no koto dewa nai いかんだ / いかんでは/ いかんによっては ikan da / ikan dewa / ikan ni yotte wa 並み nami つ〜つ tsu~tsu をものともせずに o mono tomo sezuni 嫌いがある kirai ga aru の極み no kiwami を余儀なくされる o yogi naku sareru てやまない te yamanai 限りだ kagiri da か否か ka ina ka というわけだ to iu wake da ほうがましだ hou ga mashi da てもどうにもならない temo dou ni mo naranai だろうに darou ni に至る / に至った ni itaru / ni itatta とりわけ toriwake ではあるまいか dewa arumai ka といい〜といい to ii~to ii 羽目になる hame ni naru ほどのことではない hodo no koto dewa nai いかんだ / いかんでは/ いかんによっては ikan da / ikan dewa / ikan ni yotte wa 並み nami つ〜つ tsu~tsu をものともせずに o mono tomo sezuni 嫌いがある kirai ga aru の極み no kiwami を余儀なくされる o yogi naku sareru てやまない te yamanai 限りだ kagiri da か否か ka ina ka というわけだ to iu wake da ほうがましだ hou ga mashi da てもどうにもならない temo dou ni mo naranai だろうに darou ni に至る / に至った ni itaru / ni itatta とりわけ toriwake ではあるまいか dewa arumai ka

🃏 Flashcard

でも何でもない /くも何ともない

demo nan demo nai / kumo nan tomo nai

Tap to reveal usage

not in the least; nothing like that

Tap to test your recall · +10 XP

📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N1

Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms

Reading demo nan demo nai / kumo nan tomo nai

Post ID 51210

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

not in the least; nothing like that

📖 How to use it

Expresses that something is absolutely not the case, emphasizing a strong negation.

Attaches to For nouns and na-adjectives: [noun/na-adj stem] + でも何でもない. For i-adjectives: [i-adj stem] + くも何ともない.

This pattern is used to strongly deny that something is a certain thing or quality, often in response to a suggestion or assumption. It carries a sense of 'not in the least' or 'nothing like that'. It is emphatic and somewhat colloquial, though not rude, and is more common in spoken Japanese or in informal writing.

When used with nouns, it attaches directly to the noun followed by でも何でもない. For example, 天才でも何でもない means 'not a genius or anything like that'. For na-adjectives, use the stem in the same way. For i-adjectives, the stem is used with くも何ともない, as in 難しくも何ともない, meaning 'not difficult at all'.

The nuance is often that the speaker is downplaying or rejecting an exaggerated claim. It can also be used to reassure someone that something is not as bad as they think.

彼は天才でも何でもない。ただ努力しているだけだ。

Kare wa tensai demo nan demo nai. Tada doryoku shite iru dake da.

He's not a genius or anything. He's just working hard.

この料理は難しくも何ともない。簡単に作れるよ。

Kono ryouri wa muzukashiku mo nan to mo nai. Kantan ni tsukureru yo.

This dish isn't difficult at all. You can make it easily.

別に彼女が嫌いでも何でもない。ただ忙しいだけだ。

Betsu ni kanojo ga kirai demo nan demo nai. Tada isogashii dake da.

It's not that I dislike her or anything. I'm just busy.

Not でもない (as in 彼は天才でもない) でもない simply means 'is not', while でも何でもない adds emphasis, implying 'and not anything like that either', often used to counter a stronger claim.

🎯 Quick Quiz

What does this grammar pattern mean or do?

でも何でもない /くも何ともない

📚 How to Master This Pattern

🔊

Say It Aloud

Press Hear it and repeat でも何でもない /くも何ともない three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.

🃏

Flip Before Reading

Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.

✍️

Write Two Sentences

Compose two original sentences using でも何でもない /くも何ともない. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.

⏰

Spaced Review

Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.

🔗 More JLPT N1 Patterns

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でもあり〜でもある

to also be; both… and ~

でなくてなんだろう

must be; is definitely ~

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern でも何でもない /くも何ともない mean? ▼

Not in the least; nothing like that

What JLPT level is でも何でもない /くも何ともない? ▼

Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N1 — Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.

How do you use でも何でもない /くも何ともない in a sentence? ▼

Attach でも何でもない /くも何ともない (demo nan demo nai / kumo nan tomo nai) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.

Is でも何でもない /くも何ともない formal or casual Japanese? ▼

でも何でもない /くも何ともない is used in formal or written contexts. You will see it mainly in written texts, news, business Japanese and academic contexts.

How can I remember でも何でもない /くも何ともない long-term? ▼

Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.