～というか～というか

About

The ～というか～というか pattern is used when the speaker isn't sure how to accurately describe a situation/a thing/a person/etc. Or, when they want to purposefully describe something in a vague manner.

Common translations of ～というか～というか are "I'm not sure if X or Y, but...", and "X is Y, or rather..., or rather...".

～というか～というか is most commonly used in casual and polite scenarios, and can attach to verbs, い-adjectives, な-adjectives, and nouns.

～というか～というか can be shortened to ていうか or ってか.

E.g. 加藤かとうさんは、話はなしを聞きいていないというか、内容ないようがわかっていないというか、あまり集中しゅうちゅうしているように見みえない。 "I'm not sure whether Mr. Kato isn't listening or if he doesn't understand the info, but it doesn't look like he's focused."

E.g. この町まちはのどかというか静しずかというか、何なにもないところだ。 "This town is peaceful, or rather, quiet, or rather, there's nothing here."

E.g. キリンは、面白おもしろいというか珍めずらしいというか、変かわった鳴なき声ごえを出だす。 "Giraffes are, how should I put it, interesting, or rather, unique, and they make strange noises."

One instance of というか can be used to express that "It's more X, rather than Y".

E.g. -30度どを下回したまわると、寒さむいというか痛いたい。 "When it goes below -30, more than feeling cold, it hurts."

Summary

• 

  The ～というか～というか pattern is used when the speaker isn't sure how to accurately describe a situation/a thing/a person/etc.

• 

  The ～というか～というか pattern can also be used when the speaker wants to purposefully describe something in a vague manner

• 

  Common translations of ～というか～というか are "I'm not sure if X or Y, but...", and "X is Y, or rather..., or rather..."

• 

  ～というか～というか is most commonly used in casual and polite scenarios

• 

  ～というか～というか can attach to verbs, い-adjectives, な-adjectives, and nouns

• 

  One instance of というか can be used to express that "It's more X, rather than Y"