quotative と
grammar463 sentences
The particle と marks the content of a thought, speech, designation, or sound — literally 'as/that [X].' Appears in constructions like ~と思う ('think that...'), ~と言う ('say that...'), ~と呼ぶ ('call X Y'), ~と決める ('decide that...'), and after mimetics to quote a sound directly (キーと音を立てる 'make a KEEEE sound'). Can chain across multiple verbs of thought/speech in one sentence, each と scoping over the preceding clause.