what it is
The thing itself
What it is functions as a greeting or acknowledgment, originating in Black American English and now widespread in casual speech: What it is, man?
The phrase can also serve as a philosophical shrug—accepting something as given rather than questioning or fighting it: It's not ideal, but it is what it is.
- coreCentral essential portion
- heart of the matterCentral essential issue
- truthAccordance with reality
- real dealTruly authentic person/thing
- substancePhysical material with mass
bottom line · being · meaning · actuality · nitty gritty · feel · quiddity · thing in itself · ontology · essence · true nature · thisness · suchness · inner workings · understanding · definition · nature · fact