Japanese for Elementary Learners: Asking 'What Do You Mean by That?' to Clarify Meaning
Learn to ask what someone means when their statement is unclear in Japanese, using どういう意味ですか and related patterns, distinct from asking for opinions.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
When someone says something you do not fully understand, you need a way to ask about the meaning itself, not about their opinion. In Japanese, the key pattern is どういう意味ですか (dou iu imi desu ka), which literally asks 'what kind of meaning is it?' This lesson teaches you to use that question and a few close variants to clarify unclear statements. You will also learn how this differs from asking for an opinion, such as どう思いますか (dou omoimasu ka). By the end, you will be able to politely ask what someone means in everyday conversation.
By the end, you can…
- ask what someone means when a statement is unclear.
- distinguish asking about meaning from asking for an opinion.
- use どういう意味ですか and related phrases appropriately.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
どういう意味ですか。
What do you mean by that?
dō iu imi desu ka
The standard, polite way to ask for clarification of a statement or word.
それはどういう意味ですか。
What does that mean?
sore wa dō iu imi desu ka
Adds それは (sore wa) to point clearly at what was just said.
もう少し詳しく説明してもらえますか。
Could you explain a little more specifically?
mō sukoshi kuwashiku setsumei shite moraemasu ka
Use when you need more detail, not just a definition.
つまり、どういうことですか。
So, what exactly do you mean?
tsumari, dō iu koto desu ka
Asks for the gist or conclusion; つまり (tsumari) means 'in other words'.
どう思いますか。
What do you think?
dō omoimasu ka
This asks for an opinion, not a meaning. Compare with the meaning questions above.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is どういう + noun + ですか. With 意味 (imi, meaning), it becomes どういう意味ですか (dō iu imi desu ka). With こと (koto, thing/matter), it becomes どういうことですか (dō iu koto desu ka), which often means 'What do you mean by that?' or 'What's going on?' For example, if someone says それは難しい (sore wa muzukashii, 'that is difficult'), you can reply どういう意味ですか to ask whether they mean difficult to understand, difficult to do, or something else. The pattern asks about the content or interpretation, not about the speaker's preference.
When to use it
Use どういう意味ですか when a word, phrase, or whole statement is unclear. It is polite and safe in most situations. If you want to sound a little softer, you can say どういう意味でしょうか (dō iu imi deshō ka), which is more tentative. If you are asking about a specific word, you can say この言葉はどういう意味ですか (kono kotoba wa dō iu imi desu ka, 'What does this word mean?'). Do not use どう思いますか (dō omoimasu ka) for this purpose, because that asks 'What do you think?' and invites an opinion, not an explanation.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
明日の会議はちょっと難しいかもしれません。
Tomorrow's meeting might be a little difficult.ashita no kaigi wa chotto muzukashii kamoshiremasenどういう意味ですか。
What do you mean by that?dō iu imi desu ka参加者が多いので、時間が足りないという意味です。
I mean that there are many participants, so there may not be enough time.sankasha ga ōi node, jikan ga tarinai to iu imi desuなるほど、よくわかりました。
I see, now I understand well.naruhodo, yoku wakarimashitaA little context goes a long way
In Japanese, direct questions like どういう意味ですか are usually fine in polite conversation, but tone matters. A flat or sharp tone can sound challenging. Adding すみません (sumimasen, 'excuse me') or ちょっと (chotto, 'a little') before the question softens it, as in すみません、どういう意味ですか. In formal settings, どういう意味でしょうか is often preferred over どういう意味ですか. Also, Japanese speakers may avoid saying 'I don't understand' directly; asking for meaning is a polite alternative.
One thing to watch for
Using どう思いますか to ask what someone means.
Try this instead: どう思いますか asks for an opinion, not a meaning. To ask about meaning, say どういう意味ですか. For example, if someone says この計画は無理です (kono keikaku wa muri desu, 'this plan is impossible'), do not reply どう思いますか; instead say どういう意味ですか to ask what they mean by 'impossible'.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'What do you mean by that?' politely in Japanese?
Show a sample answer
どういう意味ですか。
This is the standard polite form. どういう意味でしょうか is also acceptable in more formal contexts.
2Which phrase asks for an opinion rather than a meaning?
Show a sample answer
どう思いますか。
どう思いますか means 'What do you think?' and asks for an opinion. どういう意味ですか asks for meaning.
3If someone says それは難しい and you want to know what they mean, what can you say?
Show a sample answer
どういう意味ですか。
This asks for clarification. You could also say つまり、どういうことですか to ask for the gist.
Use どういう意味ですか to ask what someone means when a statement is unclear, and remember that どう思いますか asks for an opinion, not a meaning.
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