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〜というか・〜っていうか

or rather, I mean

Word / Plain form + というか · A というか B というか

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というか corrects or refines a word as you speak: 彼は優しいというか、人がいい, "he's kind, or rather, too good-natured". The speaker searches for the right description.

Doubled, it lists two ways of putting something, often trailing off: 失礼というか何というか, "rude, or… I don't know what to call it".

At the start of a sentence, っていうか means "I mean" or "actually", and is a very common casual filler, sometimes used to change the subject bluntly.

Compare というより (N3), which firmly prefers the second description. というか is looser and more hesitant.

Register: Conversational. っていうか is very casual.

Examples

  • 彼かれは優やさしいというか、人ひとがいい。

    He's kind, or rather, too good-natured.

  • 無口むくちというか、恥はずかしがり屋やなんだ。

    He's not quiet exactly, more shy.

  • 驚おどろいたというか、あきれた。

    I was surprised, or rather, dumbfounded.

  • 彼かれの態度たいどは、失礼しつれいというか何なんというか。

    His attitude was rude, or… I don't know what to call it.

  • っていうか、それ、私わたしのケーキなんだけど。

    I mean, that's my cake, actually.

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