という— Called / Named / The fact that

• 「桜」という言葉を知っていますか？

  "Sakura" to iu kotoba wo shitte imasu ka?

  Do you know the word "sakura"?

  「桜」という言葉 = the word called sakura

• 鈴木という先生に教わった。

  Suzuki to iu sensei ni osowatta.

  I was taught by a teacher called Suzuki.

  鈴木という先生 = a teacher named Suzuki

• 「のぞみ」という新幹線に乗りました。

  "Nozomi" to iu shinkansen ni norimashita.

  I rode a bullet train called "Nozomi."

  「のぞみ」という新幹線 = a bullet train called Nozomi

• ・Key Concept: という = "called / named / meaning." Fundamental for introducing names, giving definitions, and quoting.
• ・Detail: ということ = "the fact that / that is to say."
• ・Detail: というのは = "what I mean by ~ is / as for ~."

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones という is tested against.

• こと — Nominalizer (turning verbs into nouns)
• ことがある — Have experienced / Sometimes happens
• ことになる — It has been decided / It turns out
• ことにする — Decide to / Make it a rule to
• 〜方 (かた) — Way / Method of doing (how-to)
• 〜たり〜たり — Do things like… and… (representative actions)
• ということ — The Fact That / Meaning That
• ところ — About To / In the Middle / Just Finished (Timing)