4 · Linking clauses
No matter: wúlùn and bùguǎn … dōu
the same result in every case
Wúlùn or bùguǎn opens a range of possibilities, and dōu or yě says the result is the same for all of them.
无论 and 不管 mean “no matter”, “whatever”, “whether or not”. They open a clause that leaves a question open, and the main clause answers with 都 (or 也) after its subject: 不管谁来，我都不开门, “whoever comes, I won’t open the door”.
The open question is the heart of the pattern. The clause needs a question word (谁, 什么, 哪儿, 怎么, 多 + adjective), an A-not-A form (去不去) or two alternatives joined by 还是. A plain statement will not do: “no matter if it rains” is 不管下不下雨, not 不管下雨.
不管 is the everyday word; 无论 is more formal and is the usual choice in writing. 不论 is a further written variant. All of them stand at the start of their clause, and the subject of the main clause comes before 都.
Compare 即使: “even if” supposes one case, usually an extreme one. 无论 covers every case at once. That is why it needs an open question — it is a way of saying “for all values of …”.
The form
| a question word | 不管谁来，我都不开门。 |
| an A-not-A form | 无论你去不去，我都去。 |
| two alternatives | 不管刮风还是下雨，他都骑车上班。 |
| however …: 多 | 无论多贵，我都要买。 |
| with 也 | 不管我怎么说，他也不听。 |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
The clause after 无论 or 不管 must leave the question open — with a question word, an A-not-A form or 还是.
不管你做什么，我都支持你。Whatever you do, I’ll support you.
都 or 也 follows the subject of the main clause and says that the result holds in every case.
无论天气好不好，爷爷都去公园散步。Whatever the weather, Grandad goes for a walk in the park.
不管 is the spoken word; 无论 is more formal and common in writing.
无论遇到什么困难，我们都不会放弃。Whatever difficulties we meet, we will not give up.
多 + adjective inside the clause means “however …”.
不管多晚，你都要给我打个电话。However late it is, give me a call.
A closer look
Why the clause has to stay open
不管 is literally “not caring about”, and 无论 “not discussing”. What one does not care about is a question — whether, who, how much — not a fact. English does the same thing with “whether or not” and “whoever”; Chinese simply keeps the question form intact inside the clause.
不管怎样 and 无论如何 have become fixed phrases meaning “anyway, in any case”, used to close a discussion: 无论如何，我们都要试试, “in any case, we have to try”.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
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不管 has an object and no open question after it
it is the ordinary verb phrase 不管, “not deal with, not take care of”.
这件事我不管了，你自己决定吧。I’m staying out of this — decide for yourself.
管 is a verb meaning “to be in charge of, to bother about”. Only before an open clause does 不管 become “no matter”.
How to spot it
- 无论
- 不管
- 不论
- 无论…都…
Example sentences
不管你什么时候来，我都在家。Whenever you come, I’ll be at home.
无论是大人还是孩子，大家都喜欢这部电影。Adults and children alike all love this film.
不管我怎么解释，她都不明白。No matter how I explain it, she doesn’t understand.
无论在哪儿，他都能交到朋友。Wherever he is, he makes friends.
不管结果怎么样，你都已经尽力了。Whatever the result, you have done your best.
无论多忙，她每天都抽时间看书。However busy she is, she makes time to read every day.
7 more example sentences
不管你同意不同意，我都要试试。Whether you agree or not, I’m going to give it a try.
无论谁打电话来，你都说我不在。Whoever calls, say I’m not in.
不管坐火车还是坐飞机，我们都得早点儿订票。Whether we go by train or by plane, we need to book early.
无论你去哪儿，都别忘了给家里打电话。Wherever you go, don’t forget to call home.
这家店不管什么时候都有很多人。This shop is busy whatever time of day it is.
无论多难，我也要把它学会。However hard it is, I’m going to master it.
不管别人怎么想，我都觉得这是对的。Whatever other people think, I believe this is right.
Worth knowing (1)
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Bùguǎn zěnyàng: “anyway”
As a fixed phrase at the start of a sentence, 不管怎样 closes a topic and moves on, much like English “anyway” or “at any rate”.
不管怎样，谢谢你的帮助。Anyway, thank you for your help.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
English “no matter if it rains” states one case, and learners copy it. But 不管 needs the whole range: rain or no rain. Ask the question inside the clause — 下不下雨, or 下雨还是不下雨 — and the sentence works.
After wúlùn or bùguǎn, leave the question open; after the subject, dōu closes it.
Your turn
8 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.