“〜ni kakawarazu”: Regardless Of 〜 (unaffected by a condition) [JLPT N2]

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

「天候にかかわらず試合は行う」 — the outcome holds whichever way it goes (≠ にもかかわらず).

「年齢にかかわらず、どなたでも参加できます」 — the ‘no matter' unswayed by conditions

An event poster reads 「年齢にかかわらず、どなたでも参加できます」 (regardless of age, anyone can join) — 「〜にかかわらず」 = regardless of ～, no matter ～, meaning “unswayed by a certain condition, the result is the same.” It's completely different from 「にもかかわらず (despite ～)」, which differs by just one 「も」 — the pair Chinese/English learners most easily confuse. This guide covers its use, what precedes it, and thoroughly separates it from 〈にもかかわらず〉.

Core: にかかわらず = unaffected by a certain condition

「〜にかかわらず」 means “no matter which case ～ is, it doesn't affect the result,” unswayed by the preceding condition:

• noun (often opposing/range word) ＋ にかかわらず: 天候にかかわらず決行する (proceed regardless of weather), 経験の有無にかかわらず (regardless of whether one has experience).
• opposing pair ＋ にかかわらず: 行く行かないにかかわらず連絡して (contact me whether you go or not), 暑い寒いにかかわらず (regardless of hot or cold).

Feel: “regardless of ～, no matter ～” — the core is “whichever case the preceding condition is, it doesn't affect the result that follows.” It often attaches to opposing, contrasting, range words (多少・有無・男女・晴雨・行く行かない), the main clause being “all the same, all allowed, all required.”

How it attaches

Examples in use

• 国籍にかかわらず、誰でも応募できます。(Regardless of nationality, anyone can apply.)
• 金額の多少にかかわらず、寄付は大歓迎です。(Regardless of the amount, donations are most welcome.)
• 晴雨にかかわらず、大会は予定通り行われる。(Rain or shine, the meet is held as scheduled.)
• 参加する・しないにかかわらず、返信をお願いします。(Whether you attend or not, please reply.)
• 経験の有無にかかわらず、丁寧に指導します。(Regardless of experience, we'll instruct you carefully.)

⚠️ Where learners slip up

① 「にかかわらず (regardless)」 and 「にもかかわらず (despite)」 differ by one 「も」, worlds apart in meaning. This is the biggest, most crucial trap. 「〜にかかわらず」 = regardless of ～, no matter ～ (unaffected by the condition): 天候にかかわらず決行 (proceed regardless of weather). 「〜にもかかわらず」 = despite ～, although ～ still (adversative, contrary to expectation): 悪天候にもかかわらず決行した (despite the bad weather, they proceeded). One extra 「も」 turns ‘regardless' into ‘despite': the former is “whichever case, the result is the same,” the latter is “though this case holds, an unexpected result occurred.” Test: main clause is “all the same／all allowed” → にかかわらず (regardless); main clause is “yet … (unexpected)” → にもかかわらず (despite, see 〈にもかかわらず〉). See a 「も」, think “despite, adversative.”

② What precedes loves ‘opposing, contrasting, range' words. 「にかかわらず」 most often attaches to a pair of opposing/contrasting concepts or range words: 有無 (経験の有無), 多少 (金額の多少), 男女, 老若, 晴雨, 勝ち負け, あるなし, or “verb する・しない” (参加する・しない). This is because its meaning is “whether this case or that, still …,” so it naturally puts a “this vs that” opposition before it. Putting a single noun with no opposite (like 「雨にかかわらず」) either reads as “whether it rains or not” or is a bit unnatural — usually 「晴雨にかかわらず」 or 「雨天でも」 is used.

③ 「にかかわらず」 ≈ 「を問わず」, both ‘regardless of ～.' For “regardless of ～,” 「〜にかかわらず」 and 「〜を問わず」 are nearly interchangeable: 国籍にかかわらず／国籍を問わず (regardless of nationality), 経験にかかわらず／経験を問わず (regardless of experience). Both are common in recruitment, applications, notices — the formal register of “not restricting a certain condition.” Subtle difference: 「を問わず」 leans “not asking, not restricting” (年齢を問わず = not asking age), 「にかかわらず」 leans “not swayed by it,” but in practice they're mostly interchangeable. Remember this synonym pair — for “regardless of ～,” either works.

🔄 Nuance & comparison: にかかわらず／にもかかわらず／を問わず／によらず

💡 How to remember this

「〜にかかわらず」 = regardless of ～, no matter ～ (unaffected by a condition). Learning this pattern, the single most important thing is to separate it from 「にもかかわらず」: one 「も」 apart, opposite in meaning — 「にかかわらず」 is “whichever case, the same” (unaffected), 「にもかかわらず」 is “though this holds, an unexpected result” (adversative, see 〈にもかかわらず〉). The test: main clause “all allowed／the same” = にかかわらず; main clause “yet … (unexpected)” = にもかかわらず. Two more points: ② what precedes loves opposing/contrasting/range words (有無・多少・男女・晴雨・する・しない); ③ the synonym 「を問わず」 is nearly interchangeable (regardless of nationality = 国籍にかかわらず／を問わず). This pattern is very common in recruitment, applications, notices — 「経験・学歴にかかわらず、どなたでも歓迎」 — using it well is formal and idiomatic.

❓ FAQ

Q: 「にかかわらず」 and 「にもかかわらず」 differ by just one 「も」 — is the meaning the same?

Completely different — even opposite, the classic N2 trap. 「〜にかかわらず」 = regardless of ～, no matter ～ (unaffected by the condition): it means “whichever case the preceding condition is, it doesn't affect the result,” the main clause usually “all allowed, all the same, all required”: 年齢にかかわらず参加できる (can join regardless of age), 天候にかかわらず開催する (held regardless of weather), 成績の良し悪しにかかわらず、全員受け取れる (regardless of grades, everyone can receive it). 「〜にもかかわらず」 = despite ～, although ～ still (adversative): it means “though the preceding case holds, a result contrary to expectation occurred,” an adversative: 努力したにもかかわらず、失敗した (despite trying, still failed), 悪天候にもかかわらず、試合は行われた (despite the bad weather, the match went on), 約束したにもかかわらず、彼は来なかった (despite the promise, he didn't come). The key: 「にかかわらず」's main clause is “(whatever) the same” (unaffected); 「にもかかわらず」's main clause is “yet … (unexpected, contrary)” (adversative). Method: look at the main clause — if it says “all allowed／the same／uniformly so,” use にかかわらず (regardless); if it says “yet something unforeseen happened,” use にもかかわらず (despite, see 〈にもかかわらず〉). Mnemonic: with 「も」 = despite (adversative), without 「も」 = regardless (unaffected).

Q: What kind of word should precede 「にかかわらず」?

Most typically a pair of opposing/contrasting concepts, or a range word, because its meaning is “whether this kind or that, still …,” so a “this vs that” naturally goes before it. Common types: ① a pair of opposites: 有無 (経験の有無にかかわらず = regardless of experience), 多少 (金額の多少にかかわらず = regardless of amount), 良し悪し, 勝ち負け, 晴雨, 大小; ② range nouns: 年齢・国籍・性別・学歴 (年齢にかかわらず = regardless of age); ③ a verb's する・しない opposition: 参加する・しないにかかわらず (whether attending or not), 行く・行かないにかかわらず (whether going or not); ④ adjective opposites: 暑い・寒いにかかわらず (regardless of hot or cold), 高い・安い. What they share is that the preceding thing “can take different cases/values,” then it says “whichever, the result is the same.” So to attach a single noun with no opposite, usually switch to its “range” or “opposition” form: not 「雨にかかわらず」 but 「晴雨にかかわらず」 (rain or shine) or 「雨が降る降らないにかかわらず」 (whether it rains or not). Master the rule “precedes an opposing/contrasting/range word” and you'll use it naturally.

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「経験___、やる気のある人を募集します。」(regardless of experience)

(A) の有無にかかわらず　(B) のために　(C) によって　(D) について

Q2. What is the difference between 「にかかわらず」 and 「にもかかわらず」?

(A) にかかわらず = no matter whether ~ (unaffected); にもかかわらず = even though ~ (adversative)

(B) They are exactly the same

(C) にかかわらず = adversative

(D) にもかかわらず = no matter whether

Q3. What does 「天候にかかわらず行う」 mean?

(A) It will be held no matter the weather (unaffected by weather)

(B) It will be held because the weather is good

(C) It will be cancelled if it rains

(D) It will be held even though the weather is bad (adversative)

Q4. What does 「にかかわらず」 most naturally attach to?

(A) opposites/ranges/presence or absence (天候・年齢・有無・大小)

(B) emotion adjectives

(C) verb te-form

(D) question words only

Q5. Which usage is correct?

(A) 性別にかかわらず歓迎する。　(B) 性別をにかかわらず。

(C) 性別にかかわらずのに。　(D) 性別がかかわらず。

Answer Explanations

1. (A) の有無にかかわらず ── Regardless of experience.

2. (A) ── にかかわらず = no matter; にもかかわらず = even though (adversative).

3. (A) ── It will be held no matter the weather.

4. (A) ── Attaches to opposites/ranges/presence or absence.

5. (A) ── 「性別にかかわらず」 is correct.