いかんによらず

Regardless of

Level 5Sounds Like ikanniyorazu

Used in extremely formal contexts (legal, official, or academic) to state that a rule or outcome applies no matter what the circumstances, reasons, or status of the preceding noun may be.

How It Works

The word いかん (often written in kanji as 如何, though hiragana is standard) refers to the 'state' or 'circumstances' of something. When paired with によらず (the classical negative form of よる, meaning 'to depend on'), it creates an absolute statement of impartiality, directly translating to "regardless of ~", "no matter the ~", or "without regard to ~". As a quintessential JLPT N1 grammar point, learners will frequently encounter this pattern in advanced study materials.

Key Characteristics:

  • Register: It is highly formal, appearing in contracts, official guidelines, and legal documents, as well as everyday customer service notices, store policies, and public announcements.
  • Attachment: It attaches to nouns that imply a range of possibilities, such as 理由（りゆう - reason）, 成績（せいせき - grades）, or 国籍（こくせき - nationality）, as well as binary nouns representing two opposite outcomes, such as 合否（ごうひ - pass/fail） or 有無（うむ - presence/absence）. While the particle の is often used, it is frequently omitted in formal writing (e.g., 理由いかんによらず).
  • Nuance: It carries a tone of 'no exceptions allowed,' typically used by organizations to state firm policies.

It is helpful to contrast this with its affirmative counterparts, such as いかんによって, いかんで, and いかんでは (depending on), which state that the outcome does depend on the circumstances. While いかんによらず is common, you may also see いかんにかかわらず or いかんを問わず. These are essentially synonymous and interchangeable in formal writing. However, JLPT test-takers should pay close attention to the particles: both よらず and かかわらず take the particle に (いかんによらず / いかんにかかわらず), whereas 問わず takes the particle を (いかんを問わず).

Examples (4)

  1. 理由のいかんによらず、一度納入された入学金は返還いたしません。

    Regardless of the reason, entrance fees once paid will not be refunded.

    Word by Word: Reason's state regardless of, once paid-in entrance-fee (topic) return do-not.

    This is a classic example found in school application guidelines. The 'reason' (illness, change of mind, etc.) does not matter; the rule is absolute.

  2. 学歴のいかんによらず、実力のある人材を広く募集する。

    We are widely recruiting talented individuals, regardless of their educational background.

    Word by Word: Educational-background's state regardless of, ability-possessing human-resources (object) widely recruit.

    In this professional context, the company states that 'educational background' (university name, degree level) will not influence the hiring decision.

  3. 合否のいかんによらず、選考結果は一週間以内に郵送にて通知します。

    Regardless of whether you pass or fail, the selection results will be notified by mail within one week.

    Word by Word: Pass-fail's state regardless of, selection-results (topic) one-week within mail by notify.

    Here, the 'state' is the binary outcome of passing or failing. The notification process remains the same for everyone.

  4. 国籍のいかんによらず、どなたでも応募可能です。

    Anyone can apply, regardless of nationality.

    Word by Word: Nationality's state regardless of, anyone even application possible is.

    This uses the pattern to show inclusivity in a formal announcement.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the pattern in casual conversation.

    天気のいかんによらず、明日買い物に行こう。
    天気に関わらず、明日買い物に行こう。

    Using いかんによらず for daily plans like shopping sounds unnaturally robotic or like a legal document. Use 〜に関わらず or 〜ても for casual situations.

  • Confusing 'regardless of' with 'depending on'.

    成績のいかんによらず、奨学金がもらえるか決まる。
    成績のいかんによって、奨学金がもらえるか決まる。

    If the outcome changes based on the noun (like grades determining a scholarship), you must use いかんによって (depending on). Using いかんによらず would mean everyone gets the scholarship regardless of their grades.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

いかんによらずLevel 5Regardless of

Learn This First

To understand 'いかんによらず', you must first understand the formal noun 'いかん' (circumstances/how) and how it functions in conditional structures. It is the negative version of 'いかんによって' (depending on), using the formal negative 'ず' to express that something happens regardless of the circumstances or reasons mentioned.

Words in This Pattern

いかんによらず如何に依らず