How to tell them apart
を問わず means "without regard to" and attaches to a noun or a paired choice (見た見ないを問わず), listing conditions that do not affect the outcome. にもかかわらず means "despite" and follows a clause or noun describing an actual situation that contradicts the result. Swapping them is wrong because を問わず does not express contradiction, and にもかかわらず does not enumerate alternatives.
- を問わず Use を問わず when the outcome holds no matter which condition applies.
- にもかかわらず Use にもかかわらず when the result contradicts an actual known situation.
| Grammar point | Meaning | JLPT level |
|---|---|---|
| を問わず wo wazu | Without regard to; not affected by | N2 |
| にもかかわらず nimokakawarazu | in spite of; notwithstanding (formal usage) | N3 |
を問わず wo wazu
Without regard to; not affected by
を問わず follows a noun and means that something holds true no matter what that noun is, showing a distinction is irrelevant. It often pairs with contrasting pairs like 男女 or 晴雨, and appears in formal written or announced contexts.
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その試合には国籍のいかんを問わず誰でも参加出来る。
Anyone can participate in the game, no matter what nationality they are.
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それは今でも男女を問わず愛読されている本です。
It is, even now, a book loved by men and women alike.
にもかかわらず nimokakawarazu
in spite of; notwithstanding (formal usage)
にもかかわらず means that something happens or is true even though the opposite would be expected from what comes before it. It follows plain-form verbs and い-adjectives, nouns, or な-adjectives with である, as in お金持ちであるにもかかわらず. The wording is formal, so it suits written or serious contexts.
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彼はお金持ちであるにもかかわらず、彼は幸せではない。
With all his wealth, he is not happy.
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彼は、努力したにもかかわらず十分には報われなかった。
For all his efforts, he was not paid well.
を問わず and にもかかわらず are JLPT N3–N2 grammar points that Japanese learners often mix up. This page compares them side by side on meanings, usage and example sentences, so you can tell them apart.