N2 · Expressions (N2)
をとわず: regardless of
no matter which, in notices and descriptions
をとわず says that a difference does not matter: open to all, whatever the age, the season or the experience.
At a glance
- Remember
- をとわず: whichever it is along this range, it makes no difference.
- Form
- 年齢を問わずregardless of age
- Signal words
- 〜を問わず
- 〜を問わない
- 〜の有無を問わず
- Trap
- Wrong:雨を問わず、試合は行われる。Right:雨にかかわらず、試合は行われる。
Your turn
8 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.
The form
| regardless of age | 年齢を問わず |
| men and women alike | 男女を問わず |
| with or without experience | 経験の有無を問わず |
| all year round | 季節を問わず |
| day or night | 昼夜を問わず |
| a job open to all ages | 年齢を問わない仕事 |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
Noun of a range + をとわず: whatever it is, it makes no difference.
この講座は年齢を問わず受講できます。Anyone can attend this course, whatever their age.
A pair of opposites can stand before it.
このゲームは大人子どもを問わず人気がある。This game is popular with adults and children alike.
Before a noun: をとわない.
経験を問わない仕事を探している。I am looking for a job that does not require experience.
For a single obstacle, use にかかわらず or ても.
雨が降っても、試合は行われる。The match will go ahead even if it rains.
Example sentences
経験の有無を問わず、誰でも応募できます。Anyone can apply, with or without experience.
この公園は季節を問わず、多くの人が訪れる。This park draws many visitors all year round.
国籍を問わず、参加を歓迎します。Participants of all nationalities are welcome.
彼は昼夜を問わず働いた。He worked day and night.
男女を問わず、育児休暇が取れる。Both men and women can take parental leave.
この店は平日休日を問わず混んでいる。This shop is busy on weekdays and holidays alike.
7 more example sentences
年齢を問わず、誰でも楽しめるイベントです。It is an event anyone can enjoy, whatever their age.
この料理は国を問わず、世界中で食べられている。This dish is eaten all over the world, whatever the country.
学歴を問わず、能力のある人を採用する。We hire capable people, whatever their education.
晴雨を問わず、大会は行われます。The tournament will go ahead rain or shine.
新旧を問わず、色々な映画を見る。I watch all sorts of films, old and new.
性別を問わない職場が増えている。Workplaces open to everyone regardless of sex are increasing.
この地域は季節を問わず雨が多い。It rains a lot in this region whatever the season.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
English "regardless of the rain" names one obstacle and sets it aside, and learners translate it with を問わず. But the pattern needs a range of possibilities — ages, seasons, rain or shine — all of which are treated alike. For one obstacle, にかかわらず or ても is used; 晴雨を問わず, "rain or shine", would work.
The full explanation
Read it all · about 1 min
問う is "to ask" or "to question", and を問わず is "without asking about": the difference named before it makes no difference. 年齢を問わず参加できます, "anyone can take part, whatever their age". It is the language of notices, job advertisements and descriptions.
The noun before it is a dimension along which things vary — 年齢, 性別, 経験, 国籍, 季節, 昼夜 — or a pair of opposites: 男女を問わず, 経験の有無を問わず, 晴雨を問わず. A single fixed thing cannot stand there: 東京を問わず is wrong.
In speech the same idea is に関係なく or でも after a question word: 何歳でも参加できる. Before a noun, careful writing uses を問わない: 年齢を問わない仕事, "a job open to all ages".
English "regardless of" can take almost anything, including a single obstacle: "regardless of the rain". Japanese uses にかかわらず or ても for that, and keeps を問わず for a range of possibilities that are all treated the same.
A closer look
をとわず, にかかわらず, にかぎらず
を問わず and にかかわらず overlap when the noun is a range: 年齢を問わず and 年齢にかかわらず mean the same. Only にかかわらず also follows a pair of verbs — 行く行かないにかかわらず — and only it can mean "despite" in its longer form にもかかわらず.
にかぎらず is different again: "not only", naming one member and extending the statement to others. 子どもに限らず、大人も楽しめる starts from children and adds adults; 年齢を問わず treats all ages as one.
Worth knowing (1)
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In job advertisements
Advertisements and notices put this pattern in brackets or in a heading: 経験不問, "no experience necessary", is the two-kanji shorthand for 経験を問わない.
アルバイト募集、年齢・経験不問。Part-time staff wanted; age and experience no object.
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