Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 4: 2/17

如何(いか)なる

What kind of, No matter what kind of, No … (with a negative verb), Any... (with a negative verb)

Structure

いかなる + Noun

Details

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    Formal

About いかなる

如何(いか)なる is a combination of 如何(いか), and なる. なる being derived from the classical auxiliary verb なり 'to be'. 如何(いか) is never used as a word by itself, and will always be attached to something else when it has the reading of いか. However, its meaning is the same as the modern どう 'how'. Because of this, いかなる is interchangeable with どんな 'what kind of', with the exception that it is primarily used only in books and formal writing.

いかなる is classified as being attributive, meaning that it will appear directly before a noun, or modify a noun somewhere within the same clause.

Just like どんな, when に is added to いかなる, a negative statement will usually follow. This translates as 'no matter how much (A)', or 'no matter what kind of (A)'. However, に will not directly follow いかなる like it does with どんな. Instead, it will appear later in the sentence before the verb.

Occasionally, いかな may also be used, but this is far less common.

Fun Fact

Both な and なる are derived from the classical auxiliary verb なり. Structures that stem from なり can be seen in many modern parts of the Japanese language. This also includes なら, the hypothetical form of だ, which shares the same meaning of 'to be' as なり. While な is the form that appears with most adjectival nouns, なる is still sometimes used in place of な when the speaker wants to be poetic, or give a sense of archaism.

Examples

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    論文(ろんぶん):「(かめ)とは如何(いか)なる(さかな)なのか?」

    Essay: 'What kind of fish is a turtle?'

    Kappazonグループは如何(いか)なる理由(りゆう)であろうとも、Kappazonネットショップから如何(いか)なる製品(せいひん)削除(さくじょ)する権利(けんり)保有(ほゆう)しています。

    Kappazon Group reserves the right to remove any product from the Kappazon online store, no matter the reason.

    シヌラ電気動力株式会社(でんきどうりょくかぶしきがいしゃ)如何(いか)なる第三者(だいさんしゃ)にも顧客(こきゃく)情報(じょうほう)販売(はんばい)配布(はいふ)いたしません。

    The Shinura Electric Power Company does not sell or disclose any data to third parties (no matter what).

    如何(いか)なる(かた)ともログイン情報(じょうほう)またはパスワードの共有(きょうゆう)はお(ひか)(ねが)います。

    We request that you refrain from sharing login or password information with anyone (no matter who).

    パイロットは如何(いか)なる事態(じたい)になろうとも、適切(てきせつ)対処(たいしょ)せねばならない。

    A pilot has to react accordingly no matter what the situation might become.

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