Particles · N5
や and など: non-exhaustive examples
List representative items without implying that the list is complete.
In short
AやB lists examples: “A, B, and things like that.” など can follow the list to make the non-exhaustive meaning especially clear.
How it works
机の上に本やノートがあります suggests books, notebooks and other items. With と, the same list sounds more like a complete inventory.
Useful contrast
や normally links nouns, not full clauses in the way English “and” can.
Examples
りんごやみかんを買いました。
I bought apples, mandarins and things like that.
本や雑誌などがあります。
There are books, magazines and so on.
Common pitfall
Do not translate など mechanically as “etc.” in every sentence; sometimes natural English simply says “things like”.