N1 という Expressions

Table of Contents

This page covers some N1 という expressions:

XというX – All X
というもの – Over a period of time (With a time span only)
といったらない – Very/extremely
というか – Or rather/How should I put it..

XというX

All/every
Noun + という + Same Noun
Time + という + Same Time (Emphasis)

XというX literally means “All Xs called X”. It just means all or every.
It emphasizes the thoroughness of some action or statement applying to every X.
Not one, not many, not most, all of them.

With time words it just emphasizes the time (usually now); i.e. 今日という今日
Will be used with a present tense time word. Sometimes used with a future tense time word.
Only in extremely rare cases may it be used with a past tense time word.
May combine with こそ with time words, i.e. 今日という今日こそ

*This is more of an expression. 今日という今日 may be taken as “The today called today (right now).
Comes across like “Today is the day”

Examples

クリスマスに、ホテルというホテルは満室だ。
On Christmas, every hotel is full.
彼は女という女を尽くナンパした
He hit on every single woman (he met).
今度という今度こそは許さない
This is the time I won’t forgive you.
扉という扉を全部壊した
Broke every single door.
においを追い出すように、窓という窓を開けた
In order to drive out the smell, opened each and every window.

というもの (time)

During a time span
Time span + というもの

This というもの is a somewhat rare usage of もの used exclusively with time spans.
It means “During”. Be careful as it must be a span of time, and not a specific time.
Its pretty obvious what it means most of the times you will encounter it.

Implies some action was done continuously/consistently throughout a period.

The time span is usually preceded by この or ここ

This pattern is typically used to describe efforts or recent tendencies.

Examples

彼はここ数日というもの、部屋にこもっている
These past few days he has been holed up in his room.
この会社はこの数年というもの、海外進出に力を入れています
This company has over the last few years been putting effort into advancing into foreign markets.
今月というもの、残業が後を絶たない
This month, the overtime is never-ending.

といったらない

「X」is extreme.
Noun/い Adjective + といったらない

といったらない is an expression meaning “Extremely”.
The pattern is perhaps literally saying “I can’t think of anything that comes close.”

When used with nouns, the nouns are usually either さ nouns (from adjectives), な adjectives, or nouns modified by an adjective.

といったらありはしない/といったらありゃしない is a variation of this expressions used exclusively for bad things.

A more informal, spoken version of this phrase with the same meaning is ったらない

* I think the といったら here is the “emotive” といったら.
ない is from ありえない/ありはしない meaning “no way”.

Examples

今年の寒さと言ったらない。
Its really cold this year.
最近は忙しいと言ったらない。
Its been very busy recently.
コロナや戦争など、最近は不安と言ったらありゃしない
With things like Corona and wars, its been terribly worrisome lately.
彼の得意げな顔ったらない。
He had a very arrogant face.

というか

That might not be quite right..
Good statement A + というか Better statement B
A というか + Bというか

というか indicates that the preceding word or statement is “slightly off”
It has 2 main usages:

To give a more appropriate word/phrase than the one just given (Rather than X…)
To indicate that a statement might be slightly wrong. (hard to say if its..)

というか is used to offer a better alternative statement to a (still accurate) statement.

With meaning 2, it may be used twice to give some not quite right possibilities.

It may help to think of というか as というより (Source)

というか may appear as っていうか、つうか、てか、ってか、てゆうか、etc.

Examples

彼は元気というか、必死だ
He’s really energetic, no, desperate. (He’s probably desperate that’s why he’s energetic)
彼女は人見知りというか、みずくさいというか、いつも距離を取っている。
She’s shy? or standoffish? she always keeps a distance from people.
何で一人でやった？っていうかなんで誰も教えなかった？
Why did you do it by yourself? Wait, rather than that why didn’t you tell anyone?