Sections
なんでNande: what it means in anime
なんで · nande · also written 何で
why
Nande means "why". It is the casual, emotional "why?" you hear in anime arguments; どうして is the neutral one and なぜ is formal or written.
Updated October 24, 2026
Where you hear it
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なんでいんだよ コート上の王様
Haikyu!!Episode 1 · 19 lines in episodes 1–3 -
っていうか お前 何で泣くの？
NANAEpisode 3 · 18 lines in episodes 1–3 -
ぐっ！ なんでそうなるのよ！
NarutoEpisode 3 · 16 lines in episodes 1–3 More examples (17)
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何で俺と同じ土俵に立てるんだ!?
My Hero AcademiaEpisode 1 · 14 lines in episodes 1–3 -
うええ… グッ… なんで？
HorimiyaEpisode 2 · 11 lines in episodes 1–3 -
何で そんなに急いでんだ？
Re:ZeroEpisode 2 · 10 lines in episodes 1–3 -
北村？ なんでそんなとこに
Toradora!Episode 2 · 10 lines in episodes 1–3 -
て てめっ 何で んなとこに？
BleachEpisode 2 · 10 lines in episodes 1–3 -
そもそも なんでこんなことを？
Sword Art OnlineEpisode 1 · 9 lines in episodes 1–3 -
なっ 何で そうなるんだよ！
Your Lie in AprilEpisode 2 · 9 lines in episodes 1–3 -
なんで そう思えるの？
Polar Bear CaféEpisode 2 · 9 lines in episodes 1–3 -
何で こう 散らかってるかなあ
K-On!Episode 3 · 8 lines in episodes 1–3 -
なんで こんなことすんだよ…
Tokyo GhoulEpisode 2 · 7 lines in episodes 1–3 -
なんで 肉改部に入ったのよ？
Mob Psycho 100Episode 3 · 7 lines in episodes 1–3 -
片桐君はさ 何で バイトしてんの？
ErasedEpisode 1 · 7 lines in episodes 1–3 -
は？ 何で俺が泣くんだよ？
Attack on TitanEpisode 1 · 6 lines in episodes 1–3 -
なんで俺がモテねえって知ってんの？
Jujutsu KaisenEpisode 3 · 6 lines in episodes 1–3 -
何で僕らが こんな状態になったのか
Assassination ClassroomEpisode 1 · 6 lines in episodes 1–3 -
なんで 専門学校なんだろうねえ
Soul EaterEpisode 1 · 6 lines in episodes 1–3 -
なっ 何で そんな…
Psycho-PassEpisode 3 · 5 lines in episodes 1–3
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Lines from the Japanese subtitles of episodes 1–3 of each show. A translation is shown only when it clearly matches the line; counts are subtitle lines containing the word.
Usage and nuance
なんで？ alone is "why?", and なんでだよ！ is a frustrated "why, damn it?!" Characters say it when something feels unfair or makes no sense.
The kanji 何で can also be read なにで, "by what means": 何で来たの？ can be "how did you get here?" In anime dialogue the "why" reading なんで is far more common.
なんでもない is "it's nothing", the standard dodge when someone asks what is wrong. なんでも on its own means "anything" or "everything".
Hear なんで in Haikyu!!19 lines in episodes 1–3 · tappable subtitles · free, no account