JLPT N1EverydayFixed phrases

多おおかれ少すくなかれ・遅おそかれ早はやかれto some degree; sooner or later

かれ is an old ending that lives on in a few fixed pairs: "be it much or little", "be it late or early". The two commonest are everyday words, and you learn them whole.

to some degree

多おおかれ少すくなかれ、誰だれもが他た人にんの評ひょう価かを気きにしている。

Everyone cares to some extent about what others think of them.

sooner or later

遅おそかれ早はやかれ、この制せい度どは見み直なおさなければならない。

Sooner or later, this system will have to be reviewed.

How it is built

い-adjective stem + かれ, twice: 〜かれ〜かれ

The two adjectives are opposites: 多おおい → 多おおかれ, 少すくない → 少すくなかれ. The pairs below are the ones in use; new ones aren't made. A pair works as an adverb, with no particle after it.

The set

多おおかれ少すくなかれto some degree; more or less

どの地ち域いきも、多おおかれ少すくなかれ人じん口こう減げん少しょうの影えい響きょうを受うけている。

Every region is affected by population decline to some degree.

Mostly said of everyone or everything: it holds for all, and only the amount differs.

遅おそかれ早はやかれsooner or later

そんなうそは、遅おそかれ早はやかればれるよ。

A lie like that will come out sooner or later.

Bound to happen; only the timing is open. Japanese says "late or early".

良よかれ悪あしかれfor better or worse

インターネットは、良よかれ悪あしかれ、私わたしたちの生せい活かつを大おおきく変かえた。

For better or worse, the internet has changed our lives enormously.

Read よかれあしかれ: 悪あし is an old 悪わるい.

良よかれと思おもってmeaning well

良よかれと思おもって言いったのに、かえって怒おこらせてしまった。

I said it meaning well, but it only made them angry.

A relative with one かれ: "thinking it would be for the best". Mostly about good intentions that went wrong, and often written よかれ.

Where you'll meet them: 多おおかれ少すくなかれ and 遅おそかれ早はやかれ in conversation, news and essays alike. 良よかれ悪あしかれ mostly in writing and speeches.
Any other pair: Takes ても: 高たかくても安やすくても, whether it is dear or cheap.

"More or less finished" is だいたい

English "more or less" also means "roughly" or "almost". 多おおかれ少すくなかれ doesn't. Those are だいたい and ほとんど.

Not said: 宿しゅく題だいは多おおかれ少すくなかれ終おわった。

(I've more or less finished my homework.)

宿しゅく題だいはだいたい終おわった.

Close neighbours

にしても～にしてもN2

The "whether A or B" you build yourself, from any two nouns, verbs or adjectives.

参さん加かするにしても欠けっ席せきするにしても、金きん曜よう日びまでに連れん絡らくしてください。

Whether you are coming or not, please let us know by Friday.

（よ）うが～（よ）うがN1

The firm "whether A or B" for any pair; an い-adjective takes かろうが.

高たかかろうが安やすかろうが、必ひつ要ようなものは買かう。

Dear or cheap, I buy what I need.

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

あの二人ふたりは、（　　）別わかれることになるだろう。

Choose an answer to see why.

2What does this mean?

人ひと前まえで話はなすときは、誰だれでも多おおかれ少すくなかれ緊きん張ちょうする。

Choose an answer to see why.

3What does this mean?

母ははは良よかれと思おもって言いったのだ。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

かれ is く and あれ run together, an old "be it" or "may it be": 多おおくあれ became 多おおかれ.

早はやかれ遅おそかれ, the other way around, is also found.

More sentences

人ひとは多おおかれ少すくなかれ過か去この経けい験けんに基もとづいて判はん断だんする。

People judge things, to some extent, by what they have been through.

研けん究きゅう者しゃも多おおかれ少すくなかれ自じ分ぶんの前ぜん提ていに左さ右ゆうされる。

Researchers, too, are swayed to some extent by their own assumptions.

この矛む盾じゅんは遅おそかれ早はやかれ表ひょう面めん化かするだろう。

This contradiction will probably come to the surface sooner or later.

遅おそかれ早はやかれ、私わたしたちは決けつ断だんを下くださなければならない。

Sooner or later, we will have to make a decision.