「〜を問う」- Asking About...

Explanation

「〜を問う」 (〜をとう) is a Japanese grammatical structure that means "to ask about..." or "to inquire about..." Its primary function is to indicate that something is unaffected by a certain condition or situation, meaning it applies regardless of the circumstances.

Grammar Pattern

Grammar Point	Connection	Explanation
〜を問う	Noun + を問う	Indicates that something is unaffected by a certain condition or situation, applying regardless of the circumstances.

Basic Usage

「〜を問う」 is typically attached to a noun, meaning that regardless of the situation, the following statement holds true. For example:

• このこの公園こうえんでは、季節きせつを問う美うつくしい花はなが見みれます。
• Kono kouen de wa, kisetsu o tou utsukushii hana ga miremasu.
• In this park, you can see beautiful flowers regardless of the season.
  

Deep Dive

「〜を問う」 can be used in various contexts, especially when emphasizing that something is unaffected by specific conditions.

Basic Concept

In its basic usage, this structure is often used to indicate that the result remains unchanged regardless of a certain condition.

• 学歴がくれきを問うず、誰だれでも応募おうぼできます。
• Gakureki o touzu, dare demo oubo dekimasu.
• Anyone can apply regardless of their educational background.
  

Advanced Application

In more complex scenarios, 「〜を問う」 can be combined with nouns that represent opposites, such as 男女だんじょ (men and women), 昼夜ちゅうや (day and night), or 有無うむ (presence or absence). These contrasting nouns further highlight the structure's emphasis on being unaffected by differences.

• 性別せいべつを問うず，这仕事しごとに応募おうぼできます。
• Seibetsu o touzu, kono shigoto ni oubo dekimasu.
• Anyone can apply for this job regardless of gender.
  

Real-Life Conversation Examples

Here are some examples of how 「〜を問う」 is used in real-life conversations:

Example 1

• 彼かれは、時間じかんを問うず働はたらいています。
• Kare wa, jikan o touzu hataraiteimasu.
• He works regardless of the time.
  

Example 2

• 这个イベントいべんと是，年齢ねんれいを問うず誰だれでも参加さんかできます。
• Kono ibento wa, nenrei o touzu dare demo sanka dekimasu.
• Anyone can participate in this event regardless of age.
  

Example 3

• 天候てんこうを問うず，这試合しあいは行おこなわれます。
• Tenkou o touzu, kono shiai wa okonawaremasu.
• The match will take place regardless of the weather.
  

Comparison and Differences

「〜を問わず」 vs. 「〜にかかわらず」

Both 「〜を問わず」 and 「〜にかかわらず」 mean "regardless of," but 「〜にかかわらず」 is more commonly used to indicate the continuity of an action or state, while 「〜を問わず」 emphasizes that a certain condition does not affect the outcome.

Expression	Usage	Example	English Translation
〜を問わず	Emphasizes that a condition does not affect the outcome	経験けいけんを問うず，这仕事しごとに応募おうぼできます。	Anyone can apply for this job regardless of experience.
〜にかかわらず	Indicates the continuity of an action or state	学歴がくれきにかかわらず，彼かれは成功せいこうしました。	He succeeded regardless of his educational background.

Common Mistakes

• Misusing 「を問う」 in spoken language. In conversation, 「は問う」 is more natural.
• Misunderstanding the scope of 「〜を問う」, thinking it can only be used in specific contexts. In reality, it applies to various situations.

Real-Life Scenarios

• In business settings: To indicate that anyone can apply for a position regardless of background or experience.
• In educational environments: To emphasize that learning opportunities are not limited by age or educational background.
• In social events: Used in event promotions to indicate that everyone is welcome to participate.

Summary

「〜を問う」 is a highly practical grammatical structure, especially when describing something that is unaffected by a certain condition. By fully understanding and mastering this structure, you can express complex ideas more accurately and make your Japanese sound more natural and precise.