How to say "anything" in Japanese

• なんでもJLPT N3approx.Common
  expressionThe everyday word for 'anything', especially the free-choice sense of 'whatever one likes'; the natural choice when any option will do, as in offering or accepting without restriction. Usually written in kana alone.
  この犬いぬは何なんでもほとんど食たべます。↗

  This dog eats almost anything.
• 何物なにものCommon
  nounA noun, literally 'what thing'; for 'anything' it is at best marginal, serving mainly emphatic 'nothing (but)' statements, so it is seldom the word you want when translating plain 'anything'.
  水みずがなかったならば、何物なにものも生いきることはできないだろう。↗

  Were it not for water, nothing could live.
• 何事なにごとCommon
  nounCovers 'anything' in the sense of a matter or occurrence — events rather than objects — and also 'everything'; it fits talk of whether anything has happened or gone wrong.
  彼かれの信念しんねんは何事なにごとにも揺ゆるがなかった。↗

  Nothing could sway his conviction.

Choose 「なんでも」 for the everyday 'anything', especially the free-choice sense of 'whatever one likes'; 何事 for anything as a matter or occurrence; 何物 is chiefly emphatic 'nothing (but)' and seldom the word for plain 'anything'.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• なんでもany
• どうこうthis or that
• 何なりなんなりanything
• 何なりともなんなりともanything
• 何なりとなんなりとanything
• 何事もなにごともeverything
• 何か物なにかものsomething or other
• 何にでもなんにでもeverything
• ものthings
• 何物なにものanything (else)
• 何事なにごとeverything
• なんだってanyone