557 - いかんによらず

Don't get mad, but we're looking at how to say "regardless of" again.

Sorry.


JLPT N1: いかんによらず (regardless of; doesn't matter whether)

We've already had four lessons on ways to say "regardless of" or variations of that phrase:

- [NDL #549] - JLPT N2: にかかわらず
- [NDL #550] - JLPT N1: いかんにかかわらず
- [NDL #555] - JLPT N3: にかかわりなく
- [NDL #556] - JLPT N2: をとわず

Of those, I recommend going back and reviewing the lesson on いかんにかかわらず in particular.

In that lesson, I explain things such as the meaning of いかん and how it explains that we can put a NOUN or "NOUN + の" directly before いかんにかかわらず or いかんによらず.

Speaking of which...

NOUN(の)いかんによらず
regardless of NOUN; doesn't matter whether NOUN


An example:


事情いかんによらず、嘘はいけない。
じじょう の いかんによらず、 うそ は いけない。
Regardless of the circumstances, lying is unacceptable.
Literally: “circumstances + の + regardless of, + lie + は + must not do / unacceptable.”


Note that いかんによらず is formal, written language.

If you go using this with your friends the next time you're chilling at a cafe or something, they'll probably give you some strange looks.

Bummer that we have to learn stuff that we rarely get to use, yeah?

Such is the curse of the N1 student.


If you can just power through three more example sentences, I'll stop bugging you with all of this "regardless of" grammar for a while...


相手の反応いかんによらず、我々は冷静に対処するべきだ。
あいて の はんのう いかんによらず、 われわれ は れいせい に たいしょ するべきだ。
No matter how a person responds, we should always deal with them calmly.
Literally: “other party + の + reaction / response + regardless of, + we + は + calmly + deal with + should.”



理由いかんによらず、開封後の食品の返品は受け付けていません。
りゆう の いかんによらず、 かいふう ご の しょくひん の へんぴん は うけつけていません。
Regardless of the reason, we do not accept returns of food products that have been opened.
Literally: “reason + の + regardless of, + opening (e.g. an envelope) / breaking the seal + -after + の + food products + の + return + は + are not accepting.”



試験の結果いかんによらず、かならず担任の先生に報告してください。
しけん の けっか いかんによらず、 かならず たんにん の せんせい に ほうこく して ください。
Regardless of the results of your test, please be sure to inform your teacher of them.
Literally: “test + の + result + regardless of, + without fail / definitely + (main) class teacher (=in charge of + の + teacher) + に + report + do (and) + please.”

Note: This may be different where you're from, but in Japanese schools you have a 担任の先生, who is the main teacher for your grade/class. You might have other teachers for various subjects, but your "in charge of の teacher" is your primary teacher. I saw this sometimes being translated as "homeroom teacher," but I thought that was unnecessary in our sentence's translation.


The end!

Take a break, yo.

If you've read all of our "regardless of" lessons so far, you deserve it.

Complete and Continue