How to Say "What do you mean" in Japanese

In Japanese, the standard way is どういう意味ですか？ (dou iu imi desu ka). It works in most situations when you want someone to clarify what they mean.

The most common way

？

dou iu imi desu ka

What do you mean? / What does that mean?

How to say it: Say どう as two clear beats, do-o, and let ですか rise at the end; don't squash it into a short 'do'.

casual
？
dou iu imi?
A casual 'What do you mean?' for quick clarification.
When to use it: Use it with friends, family, or close coworkers when you want a quick, informal answer.
conversational
？
dou iu koto?
A casual, often surprised or mildly challenging 'What do you mean?' or 'What's that about?'
When to use it: Use it with friends or peers when a remark seems unclear, odd, or slightly suspicious.
polite/formal
dou iu imi deshou ka
A polite, softened 'What might that mean?' for when you need clarification without sounding blunt.
When to use it: Use it with superiors, clients, or strangers in formal conversation or meetings.
clarifying
、？
tsumari, dou iu koto desu ka
'So, what exactly do you mean?'—a request to summarize or get to the point.
When to use it: Use it in a discussion when an explanation is vague and you need a clearer, more direct answer.
texting/slang
、？
sore, doyu koto?
A young, casual 'What's that supposed to mean?' often used in texts or chat.
When to use it: Use it only with close friends or in casual online chat, never in work or formal settings.

A
、。
Ashita no kaigi, shusseki shinakute ii desu yo.
You don't need to attend tomorrow's meeting.
B
？
Dou iu imi desu ka?
What do you mean?
A
。
Shiryou dake okutte okeba daijoubu desu.
It's fine if you just send the materials.

~~どう意味ですか？~~ → どういう意味ですか？
The fixed phrase needs いう between どう and 意味; どう意味 is not natural Japanese.
~~何を意味しますか？~~ → どういう意味ですか？
意味します sounds like a dictionary definition and is not the natural way to ask what a person means.