方・かた

Suffix (Basic ㊦ 183)

A noun forming suffix that indicates a way or a manner in which one does something.

Equivalent: A way of; a manner of; how to

ケーキの作り方を教えて下さい。
Please show me how to make a cake.
この漢字の書き方が分かりません。
I don't know how to write this kanji.
あの人の歩き方は面白いですね。
His manner of walking is amusing, isn't it?
日本語の勉強の仕方を教えて下さい。
Please teach me how to study Japanese language.

Formation

Vます 方  
  話し方 Way/manner of speaking
  食べ方 Way/manner of eating

Notes

1. Verbます+方 is in itself ambiguous, meaning either 'way' or 'manner'. Thus,

is ambiguous: it means either 'The way of drinking is important' or 'The manner in which one drinks is important'. The separate meanings become clearer in an extended context:

2. Sino-Japanese verbs such as 勉強する 'study', 電話する 'telephone', 料理する 'cook', 説明する, 'explain' and 相談する 'consult' need the particle の before 仕方 as in:

【Related Expression】

方 can be replaced by 方法 but only when 方 means 'a way of doing something'. 方法 roughly corresponds to the English word 'method'; it means a relatively complicated way of doing something. Example (c) can be rewritten as [1].

[1]