def dtype(x):
    """Returns the dtype of a Keras tensor or variable, as a string.

    # Arguments
        x: Tensor or variable.

    # Returns
        String, dtype of `x`.

    # Examples
    ```python
        >>> from keras import backend as K
        >>> K.dtype(K.placeholder(shape=(2,4,5)))
        'float32'
        >>> K.dtype(K.placeholder(shape=(2,4,5), dtype='float32'))
        'float32'
        >>> K.dtype(K.placeholder(shape=(2,4,5), dtype='float64'))
        'float64'
        # Keras variable
        >>> kvar = K.variable(np.array([[1, 2], [3, 4]]))
        >>> K.dtype(kvar)
        'float32_ref'
        >>> kvar = K.variable(np.array([[1, 2], [3, 4]]), dtype='float32')
        >>> K.dtype(kvar)
        'float32_ref'
    ```
    """
    return x.dtype.base_dtype.name
