The way I've learned to read it is

    int v;
means that `v` is an `int`.

    int *w;
means that `*w` is an `int`, meaning `w` is a pointer to an `int`.

    int *y[5]
(note that `◌[]` has higher precedence than `*◌`, so this is `*(y[5])`) means that `*y[5]` is an `int`, so `y[5]` is a pointer to an `int`, meaning `y` is an array of `int` pointers.

    int (*(*kitchensink[5])(int, int))[6];
means that `(*(*kitchensink[5])(int, int))[6]` is an int, so

- `*(*kitchensink[5])(int, int)` is an array of `int`.

- `(*kitchensink[5])(int, int)` is a pointer to array of `int`.

- `kitchensink[5]` is a function pointer to a function that takes `(int, int)` and returns a pointer to an array of `int`.

- `kitchensink` is an array of function pointers to functions that take `(int, int)` and return a pointer to an array of `int`.

> int *w;

But some misguided style guides demand the misleading `int* w;`, and then act surprised by `int* w, x`;

Those style guides would also disallow having multiple declarators in a single declaration.

[deleted]

I split the difference and write it "int*w".

(Most style guides tell you to declare one name per line anyway...)

I have seen `int * w` in the real world.

I'm sad now.