How to say "What does _____ mean?"
Say, in conversation, you don't understand a particular word used, how do you say "what does 'that word' mean?"

Question

Answer

"What does ___ mean?" (Answers below are from most formal to least)
１．＿＿というのはどういう意味ですか。
２．＿＿っていうのはどういう意味ですか。
３．＿＿って何？

Another useful phrase: "How do you say ___ in English?" (If you want a translation rather than an explanation)
英語で＿＿は何に当たりますか。
(The literal translation is "what does ___ correspond to in English". The literal Japanese phrase for 'how do you say___ in English' in Japanese is very unnatural)

Answer

I would say..

.... はどういう意味ですか
.... wa dōiu imi desu ka

But it might be better to wait for an answer of a native.

Verpassen Sie nicht die Gelegenheit, bequem von zu Hause aus eine Sprache zu lernen. Stöbern Sie in unserer Auswahl an erfahrenen Sprachlehrern und melden Sie sich jetzt zu Ihrer ersten Unterrichtsstunde an!