という

という means called; that says. It is a JLPT N4 Japanese grammar pattern used to express this idea in natural Japanese.

This English meaning is written independently from the source list so it answers the learner question directly: what does という mean and when should you use it?

What does という mean?

Use という when you want to express called; that says in a Japanese sentence.

Natural translations include:

• called; that says
• called
• that says

How to form という

Noun / phrase + という

Examples of the pattern:

• 田中さんという
• 「便利」という
• 明日休みだという

The form before the grammar point matters. In JLPT questions, the wrong answer choices often use a similar meaning but attach it to the wrong type of word.

When is という used?

Use という in situations like:

• reading or writing JLPT N4-level sentences
• making a sentence more precise than a basic N5 pattern
• recognizing natural grammar in conversation or short passages

Tone and register:

• usually neutral unless the pattern itself is casual, humble, honorific, or written
• common in JLPT N4 grammar study and everyday examples

という example sentences

• 田中さんという人を知っていますか。 — Do you know a person called Tanaka?
• これは「便利」という意味です。 — This means “convenient.”
• 明日休みだというメールが来ました。 — An email came saying that tomorrow is a day off.
• Haneというアプリを使っています。 — I use an app called Hane.
• 日本へ行きたいという気持ちがあります。 — I have a feeling that I want to go to Japan.

Nuance of という

The key nuance is called; that says in context, not a word-for-word English replacement.

This matters because という often changes the relationship between actions, people, time, or evidence in the sentence. Read the whole sentence before choosing the English translation.

という vs って

Both という and って can appear in related sentences, but they do different jobs.

という:

• is the target JLPT N4 pattern in this lesson
• focuses on called; that says

って:

• is useful for comparison because learners often confuse nearby forms
• may change the tone, evidence, direction, or relationship in the sentence

Quick contrast examples:

• Target pattern: 田中さんという人を知っていますか。 — Do you know a person called Tanaka?
• Related pattern with って: compare what changes in evidence, timing, direction, or politeness.

Common mistakes with という

Watch out for these mistakes:

• Copying a dictionary gloss without checking the sentence context
• Using the wrong verb, adjective, or noun form
• Confusing という with って because the English can sound similar

Is という on the JLPT?

Yes. という is connected to JLPT N4 grammar in this blog.

That means learners should be able to:

• recognize it in reading
• understand its nuance in context
• use it in simple original sentences

Practice questions for という

Try making your own sentences with these prompts:

• Write one short sentence using the basic structure.
• Replace the subject, time, or object and keep the same grammar point.
• Compare your sentence with the related pattern above.

Learning path for という

To learn という efficiently, use it as part of your JLPT N4 quotation, thought, and definition grammar toolkit.

1. First, practice the quoted or defined content before という. These patterns depend on where the thought, question, name, or explanation begins and ends, so sentence boundaries matter more than a single English gloss.
2. Next, make one short sentence with という.
3. Then, write one sentence that uses という in its most literal meaning, one sentence that changes the subject or time expression, and one sentence that contrasts it with a related pattern.
4. Finally, compare it with ではないか, のは〜だ, or と言ってもいい to see how the nuance changes.

Related grammar to review next

• ではないか — builds control over quoted thoughts, questions, names, and explanations.
• のは〜だ — builds control over quoted thoughts, questions, names, and explanations.
• と言ってもいい — builds control over quoted thoughts, questions, names, and explanations.
• と思う — builds control over quoted thoughts, questions, names, and explanations.

Learn という with Hane

If you want to review という together with the related patterns above, Hane helps you practice Japanese in short, focused sessions.

Browse more lessons here:

• All grammar lessons
• JLPT N4 grammar lessons