Regardless [をとわず]

We use を問とわず, mainly in written Japanese, to say that something is not important and will not be considered in a situation.

この町まちは、季節きせつを問わずうつくしい町まちですよ。

This is a beautiful town regardless of the season.

You may see this used with Japanese noun opposite pairs. For example the following seem to be used often:

• 男女 だんじょ (man and woman)
• 老若ろうにゃく (young and old)
• 昼夜ちゅうや (night and day)
• 晴雨せいう (clear or rain, rain or shine)
• 大小だいしょう (big and small)
• 老若男女ろうにゃくだんにょ (old or young, man or woman)

If we use these with を問わず we get:

男女を問わず – regardless of sex/gender

大小を問わず – regardless of size

晴雨を問わず – regardless of the the weather (come rain or shine)

老若を問わず – regardless of age

老若男女を問わず – regardless of age or sex

The following words also seem to be used often:

• 学歴がくれき (academic background)
• 年齢ねんれい (age)
• 天気てんき (weather)
• 国籍こくせき (nationality)

Structure

This can only be used with a noun (hence the を particle).

Examples

晴雨せいうを問わず山やまを登のぼるつもりです。

I intend to climb the mountain come rain or shine (regardless of the weather).

このトイレは、男女だんじょを問わず、皆みなさんが使用しようできます。

This toilet can be used by anyone regardless of sex.