Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 7: 13/17

と言(い)わず

Not only A or B but every-; A, B and every-; Not only A or B but all over; A, B both, whether a or B

Structure

Noun (A) + といわず + Noun (B) + といわず

Details

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    Formal

  • 使用域

    硬い

About といわず

When used in succession, と言(い)わず indicates that something is not limited to either (A) or (B), but applies to everything in a specific category or group. It may be translated as 'not just (A) or (B), but all', or '(A), (B) and everything else'. It is a combination of the case-marking particle と in its quotation use, the negative stem of 言(い)う, 言(い)わ, and the literary form of the classical auxiliary verb ぬ, ず. The literal translation is simply 'without saying (A), and without saying (B), (C)'. This 'without saying (A)' just means 'without limiting it to (A)'.
This structure will follow both an (A) and a (B) noun before going on to explain what applies to everything.
  • 旅行(りょこう)から帰(かえ)ってきたら、タンスと言(い)わず、棚(たな)と言(い)わず、家中(いえじゅう)泥棒(どろぼう)に物色(ぶっしょく)されていた。
    When I returned from my trip, the whole house had been ransacked by thieves, not only the wardrobe or the shelves.
  • 彼(かれ)は仕事中(しごとちゅう)と言(い)わず、休憩中(きゅうけいちゅう)と言(い)わず、ずっとユーチューブを見(み)ている。
    He is always watching Youtube not only when he is working, but also on his break.
  • この映画(えいが)は子供(こども)と言(い)わず、大人(おとな)と言(い)わず、みんなに愛(あい)されている。
    Not only is this movie loved by children, but also by adults.
It will be important to remember that both (A) and (B) must be some part of a logical group when using this grammar structure, in order for it to sound natural. For example, the hands and the feet are part of the body, the morning and the afternoon are parts of a day, the chorus and the melody are parts of a song, etc.
と言(い)わず～と言(い)わず is a fairly formal expression, and will rarely be used in everyday speech.

Examples

  • 小説(しょうせつ)：「街灯(がいとう)は、はるか北(きた)の村(むら)で、夜(よる)といわず昼(ひる)といわずともりつづけた。」

    Novel: 'The lights in the village far north are lit continuously, not only during day or night (but all the time).'

  • 小説(しょうせつ)：「ぜなの室内(しつない)は、壁(かべ)といわず天井(てんじょう)といわず、全(すべ)てよそらのポスターや写真(しゃしん)で埋(う)め尽(つ)くされている」。

    The interior of Zena's room has been plastered with posters and photographs of Yosora not only on walls and the ceiling but everywhere.

  • 小説(しょうせつ)：「勇者(ゆうしゃ)は戦闘後(せんとうご)、手(て)といわず、足(あし)といわず、満身創痍(まんしんそうい)だった。」

    Novel: 'After the battle, the hero was wounded not only on his hands or feet but all over his body.'

  • 小説(しょうせつ)：「新(しん)国王(こくおう)の名前(なまえ)を聞(き)くと、一般(いっぱん)市民(しみん)といわず、貴族(きぞく)といわず、恐怖(きょうふ)に震(ふる)え上(あ)がった。」

    Novel: 'Hearing the name of the new king, not only ordinary citizens or aristocrats (but everyone) trembled with fear.'

  • 小説(しょうせつ)：「アンディは他(た)の囚人(しゅうじん)に組(く)み敷(し)かれていて頭(あたま)といわず顔(かお)といわず、身体中(しんたいちゅう)をめった打(う)ちにされた。」

    Novel: 'Andy was pressed down by another prisoner, and has been beaten not only on his head or face but all over the body.'

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