や

About

The や particle can be used to create a non-exhaustive list, where it is implied that there are more items being left un-listed. This is in contrast to other particles that list exhaustive lists, such as と.

や is fairly formal and is therefore most common in written Japanese, or formal spoken situations. や is often paired with the optional など.

To use や, simply place it directly after each item in an inexhaustive list, except for the final item.

(item 1)や(item 2)...

(item 1)や(item 2)や(item 3)...

Summary

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  Use the や particle to create a non-exhaustive list of two or more things

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  や sounds formal

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  Place や directly after every item in a non-exhaustive list, except for the final one