何でもかんでも

• Reading: なんでもかんでも
• Romaji: nandemo kandemo
• Kanji breakdown: 何 (nani/nan/ka) — what
• Pronunciation: /naɴ.de.mo.kaɴ.de.mo/

Meaning

All sorts of things; anything and everything; indiscriminately.

An emphatic adverb meaning 'every single thing without discrimination.' Stronger and more colloquial than 何でも (nandemo, anything). Often carries a critical nuance — implying someone does something indiscriminately or excessively. 何でもかんでも買う (buying absolutely everything), 何でもかんでも信じる (believing anything and everything). The echo pattern かんでも reinforces the 'without exception' meaning.

Examples

1. 何でもかんでもネットで調べる時代になった。 We've entered an era where people look absolutely everything up online.
2. 子供に何でもかんでも与えるのはよくない。 It's not good to give children everything they want.
3. 彼は何でもかんでも引き受けてしまう。 He ends up taking on absolutely everything that comes his way.

Usage Guide

Context: criticism, daily life, conversation

Tone: critical

Origin & History

From native Japanese: 何でも (nandemo, anything) + かんでも (kandemo, echo reduplication). The doubling pattern intensifies the indefinite meaning, creating 'every last thing' with an often critical edge.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal