や

The particle や is used to list items as examples, meaning "and" or "such as" in English. It implies that the list is not exhaustive, and there may be additional items not explicitly mentioned.

など (meaning "etc.") is optional but can be added to make the nuance clearer.

• Non-exhaustive lists

  Connects two or more nouns to provide examples, leaving the list open-ended.

  いぬ犬やねこ猫がいます。

  There are dogs, cats, and so on.

• Implying variety

  Suggests a range or variety of items without specifying every single one.

  こうえん公園やとしょかん図書館にいきました行きました。

  I went to places like the park and the library.

Particle after the list

When using や, the grammatical particle comes after the last noun (or after など).

Contrast with と ("and")

While と lists all items explicitly, や gives examples but does not guarantee that all items are mentioned.