“〜ikan ni yorazu・ikan ni kakawarazu”: Regardless of How 〜 Is [JLPT N1]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

「結果のいかんによらず最後まで戦う」 — whatever it turns out to be, the result stands.

「結果のいかんによらず、最後まで戦う」 — whatever the outcome, it doesn't change

Declaring resolve before a match, 「結果のいかんによらず、最後まで全力で戦う」 (regardless of the outcome, I'll fight all-out to the end) — 「〜いかんによらず・いかんにかかわらず」 = regardless of how ～ (still…), used to express “no matter how that result／situation is, the second half holds unaffected.” It's a formal, written expression, common in regulations and notices. This guide clarifies the core “いかん = how,” and flags the trickiest trap: the same 「いかん」 actually has two opposite directions — “regardless of” and “depending on.”

Core: no matter how that (result／situation) is, the conclusion doesn't change

「noun (の) ＋ いかんによらず／いかんにかかわらず／いかんを問わず」 means “regardless of how ～, still… (unaffected)”:

• 理由のいかんにかかわらず、遅刻は遅刻だ (whatever the reason, late is late).
• 事情のいかんを問わず、返金はいたしかねます (regardless of circumstances, no refunds).
• 成績のいかんによらず、全員に参加賞を渡す (regardless of results, everyone gets a participation prize).

Feel: 「いかん (如何)」 is the literary “how, in what way,” so 「いかんによらず」 = “not depending on how that (result／situation) is → regardless, still…” It precedes nouns like 「結果・理由・事情・成績」 (＋の), followed by “still ～ (unchanged by the first half).” It carries a formal, weighty, written color, common in regulations, notices, statements. It corresponds to “regardless of how ～, no matter how ～, whatever ～, still….”

Attachment rules

Examples in context

• 天候のいかんにかかわらず、大会は予定通り開催します。(Regardless of the weather, the event will be held as scheduled.)
• 国籍のいかんを問わず、応募を受け付けます。(Regardless of nationality, we accept applications.)
• 動機のいかんによらず、暴力は正当化できない。(Regardless of motive, violence can't be justified.)
• 経験のいかんを問わず、研修を受けていただきます。(Regardless of experience, you'll undergo training.)
• 賛否のいかんにかかわらず、決定には従うべきだ。(Regardless of for or against, one should follow the decision.)

⚠️ Where learners slip up

① The same 「いかん」 has two opposite directions: ‘regardless of' vs ‘depending on' (the key point). This is 「いかん」's most lethal confusion. The same 「いかん,」 with different suffixes, means the exact opposite: Direction 1 (regardless, unaffected): いかんによらず／いかんにかかわらず／いかんを問わず = regardless of how ～ (unchanged): 結果のいかんによらず、評価は変わらない (regardless of the outcome, the evaluation doesn't change — the second half is ‘unaffected' by the first). Direction 2 (depending on, affected): いかんだ／いかんで（は）／いかんによっては = depending on ～, hinges on ～ (affected): 成功するかどうかは、君の努力いかんだ (whether you succeed depends on your effort — the second half ‘hinges on' the first), 結果いかんでは、中止もあり得る (depending on the result, cancellation is possible). See it? — 「いかんによらず／にかかわらず／を問わず」 is “regardless, unchanged”; 「いかんだ／で／によっては」 is “depending on, hinges on” — exactly opposite directions! The difference is whether it's followed by 「によらず／にかかわらず／を問わず (regardless)」 or 「だ／で／によっては (depending on).」 Test: followed by “not depending on ～, no matter ～, whatever ～” → regardless (unaffected); followed by “is ～, hinges on ～, depending on ～” → depending on (affected). This is a favorite N1 trap — be sure to keep them straight.

② 「いかん」 = “how (in what way),” attaches to a noun (の). First understand 「いかん」 itself. 「いかん」 is the on-reading of the literary kanji 「如何,」 meaning “how, in what way.” So 「結果のいかん」 = “the how of the result (how the result is),” and 「結果のいかんによらず」 = “not depending on the how of the result = regardless of how the result is.” It precedes a noun, often with 「の」 (結果のいかん). Mnemonic: (noun の) いかん = the how of (something); いかんによらず = regardless of its how.

③ A written, formal register, rare in speech. 「いかんによらず／にかかわらず／を問わず」 carries a heavy written, formal, weighty color, common in regulations, notices, contracts, statements, formal documents (天候のいかんにかかわらず開催, 国籍のいかんを問わず). It's not much used in everyday speech — for everyday “regardless of ～,” use the more colloquial 「〜に関係なく・〜がどうであれ・どんな〜でも」: 理由がどうであれ (whatever the reason), 結果に関係なく (regardless of the result). Test: in formal documents, regulations, notices, to weightily say “regardless of how ～, still…” → いかんによらず／にかかわらず／を問わず; in everyday speech → 〜に関係なく／どうであれ.

🔄 Compare: いかんによらず／いかんだ・いかんで／を問わず／に関係なく

💡 Quick takeaway

「〜いかんによらず・いかんにかかわらず・いかんを問わず」 = regardless of how ～ (still…) — three points: ① the key — the same 「いかん」 has two opposite directions: 「いかんによらず／にかかわらず／を問わず」 = regardless (the second half unaffected); 「いかんだ／で／によっては」 = depending on (the second half affected); the difference is the suffix, the directions opposite, so keep them straight; ② 「いかん」 = “how,” attaches to a noun (の); ③ a written, formal register, speech uses 「〜に関係なく／どうであれ.」 This set is a formal regular in regulations and notices — 「天候のいかんにかかわらず開催,」 「国籍のいかんを問わず」 read at a glance as the tone of a weighty statement. The most-tested point is that 「いかんによらず (regardless)」 and 「いかんだ (depending on)」 are opposite directions — grasp that “the suffix decides the direction” and you won't go wrong.

❓ Questions you might have

Q: Are 「努力いかんだ」 and 「努力のいかんによらず」 opposite in meaning? (both have 「いかん」)

Yes, exactly opposite in direction — this is 「いかん」's most lethal, and a favorite N1, trap. The same 「いかん (how),」 with different suffixes, means the exact opposite: 「〜いかんだ／いかんで（は）／いかんによっては」 = depends on ～, hinges on ～ (the second half ‘affected' by the first): 成否は努力いかんだ (success or failure depends on effort — effort decides it, the second half affected), 結果いかんでは、計画を中止する (depending on the result, cancel the plan — the result sways whether to cancel), 対応いかんによっては、大問題になる (depending on the response, it could become a big problem). Its meaning is “how ～ is decides how the rest is” (the first sways the second). 「〜いかんによらず／いかんにかかわらず／いかんを問わず」 = regardless of how ～ (the second half ‘unaffected' by the first): 努力のいかんによらず、結果は同じだ (regardless of effort, the result is the same — effort doesn't affect the result, the second half unchanged), 結果のいかんにかかわらず、給料は変わらない (regardless of the result, the salary doesn't change). Its meaning is “however ～ is, the rest doesn't change” (the first doesn't affect the second). In one line: 「いかんだ／で／によっては」 = depending on (the first sways the second); 「いかんによらず／にかかわらず／を問わず」 = regardless (the first doesn't affect the second), exactly opposite directions. Test trick: check what follows 「いかん」 — followed by 「だ／で／によっては (is／hinges／depending on)」 → depending on (affected); followed by 「によらず／にかかわらず／を問わず (not depending／no matter／whatever)」 → regardless (unaffected). So 「努力いかんだ (depends on effort)」 and 「努力のいかんによらず (regardless of effort)」 are opposite in meaning, told apart entirely by the suffix.

Q: What's the difference between 「いかんを問わず」 and 「〜を問わず」 (like 「経験を問わず」)?

Close in meaning (both “regardless of ～”), the difference is ‘whether there's 「いかん」 and what precedes.' 「〜いかんを問わず」 = regardless of the how of ～ (still…): here there's an added 「いかん (how),」 and what precedes is an abstract noun with ‘varying degree／content' like 「結果・理由・事情・成績,」 meaning “regardless of that (result／reason)'s ‘how it is,' still…”: 理由のいかんを問わず (regardless of the reason [whatever, however]), 事情のいかんを問わず (whatever the circumstances). It stresses “no matter that thing's ‘content／degree.'” 「〜を問わず」 (without いかん) = regardless of ～ (still…): it attaches directly to a noun, often a category, attribute noun like 「経験・年齢・性別・国籍・晴雨・昼夜,」 meaning “regardless of that ～ (attribute) distinction, still…”: 経験を問わず、応募可 (regardless of experience, may apply), 年齢・性別を問わず (regardless of age or gender), 昼夜を問わず (day or night). Difference: 「いかんを問わず」 mostly attaches to abstract, content-varying nouns (結果・理由・事情), stressing “regardless of its how”; 「を問わず」 (no いかん) attaches directly to category／attribute nouns (経験・年齢・晴雨), stressing “regardless of its distinction.” In practice 「〜を問わず」 is more common and broader (経験を問わず, 性別を問わず), while 「いかんを問わず」 mostly pairs with 「結果・理由・事情,」 more written and weighty in tone. Test: what precedes is abstract, about ‘how the situation is' (結果/理由/事情) → いかんを問わず is fine; what precedes is a category attribute (経験/年齢/国籍/晴雨) → use を問わず directly. Both express “regardless of ～,” the former with an extra layer of “(that thing's) how.”

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「成績の___、努力した者を評価する。」(regardless of grades)

(A) いかんによらず　(B) ことなしに　(C) が早いか　(D) かたがた

Q2. 「いかん」の意味は?

(A) How/what it is　(B) Not allowed　(C) Definitely　(D) Already

Q3. 「理由のいかんによらず」の意味は?

(A) Whatever the reason (unaffected by it)

(B) Judging only by the reason

(C) Because of the reason

(D) Without reason

Q4. What register does「いかんによらず」belong to?

(A) Written, formal (stiff tone)

(B) Intimate colloquial

(C) Children's speech

(D) Internet slang

Q5. 接法が正しいのは?

(A) 結果のいかんを問わず挑戦する。　(B) 結果をいかんによらず。

(C) 結果いかんによらずに(の が自然)。　(D) 結果がいかん問わず。

Answer Explanations

1. (A) いかんによらず ── Regardless of grades.

2. (A) How/what it is ── いかん＝how/what (the state of).

3. (A) ── Whatever the reason.

4. (A) ── Written, formal.

5. (A) ── 「結果のいかんを問わず」 is correct.