〜にもかかわらず: 'Despite / In Spite Of' (Meaning + Examples)
A strong "despite," against expectation
にもかかわらず connects a circumstance to a result that defies what you'd normally expect from it. The tone carries a note of surprise, admiration, or sometimes criticism — stronger than a plain "but."
雨にもかかわらず、試合は行われた。
あめにもかかわらず、しあいは おこなわれた。
Despite the rain, the match was held.
にもかかわらず = strong contrast with expectation.
何度も注意されたにもかかわらず、同じ間違いを繰り返した。
なんども ちゅういされたにもかかわらず、おなじ まちがいを くりかえした。
Despite being warned repeatedly, he repeated the same mistake.
モチは風邪をひいているにもかかわらず、やったんとの約束を守った。
モチは かぜを ひいているにもかかわらず、やったんとの やくそくを まもった。
Despite having a cold, Mochi kept her promise to Yattan.
Original example — admiration for pushing through.
Attaching にもかかわらず
| Attaches to | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | Noun + にもかかわらず | 雨にもかかわらず (despite the rain) |
| Plain form verb/adjective | Plain form + にもかかわらず | 注意されたにもかかわらず (despite being warned) |
| な-adjective | Stem + であるにもかかわらず | 有名であるにもかかわらず (despite being famous) |
彼は有名であるにもかかわらず、いつも謙虚だ。
かれは ゆうめいであるにもかかわらず、いつも けんきょだ。
Despite being famous, he's always humble.
にもかかわらず vs のに
Both express "despite/even though," but にもかかわらず is more formal and written, and carries a heavier note of surprise or criticism about the mismatch. のに is everyday and conversational, and can also express simple disappointment without the same formality. In casual speech, reach for のに; in writing or formal speech, にもかかわらず fits better.
The short version
- 〜にもかかわらず = "despite / in spite of" — a strong contrast with expectation.
- Attaches to: noun, plain-form verb/adjective, or である + にもかかわらず.
- Nuance/register: formal, carries surprise or mild criticism.
- Don't confuse with: のに (same idea, but casual/conversational).
Practice it
Choose にもかかわらず for a formal, strong 'despite' contrast.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
＿＿＿、試合は行われた。
Where 〜にもかかわらず fits
Shaky on this? Get these solid first
- 〜ずに · N3 — 〜ずに means doing one thing without doing another: 食べずに ('without eating'). Learn the formation, the irregular せずに, and how it differs from 〜ないで and 〜なくて.
More N2 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- 〜お願いします／お願い申し上げます — 〜お願いします and its more formal cousin 〜お願い申し上げます attach after a noun, ご+verb-stem, or 〜のほど to make a very polite, humble request — ご確認お願いします ('please confirm'). Common in business Japanese and formal writing.
- 〜ねばならない — 〜ねばならない is the formal, literary way to say 'must / have to,' built from the negative conditional 〜ねば ('if not') + ならない ('won't do'). Common in writing, speeches, and rules.
- 〜ぶりに — 〜ぶりに attaches to a period of time to mean 'for the first time in [that period]' — 3年ぶりに (for the first time in 3 years). It marks a gap since the last occurrence, often with a nostalgic or relieved feel.
- どうやら — どうやら is an adverb meaning 'it seems' or 'apparently' — a guess based on what you've observed, usually paired with らしい or ようだ at the end of the sentence: どうやら〜らしい ('it seems that...').
- ふたたび — ふたたび (再び) is a formal, literary adverb meaning 'again' or 'once more' — used for repeated events with emotional or significant weight, contrasting with the everyday また.
- 〜反面 — 〜反面 contrasts two aspects of the same subject, meaning 'while' or 'on the other hand' — 給料は高い反面、忙しい ('the pay is good, but on the other hand it's busy'). Unlike が, both sides describe the same thing.