といわず～といわずA, B, everywhere
You name two places, or two times, and mean all of them: not just here or there but everywhere, not just day or night but at all hours.
The children came home covered in mud: faces, arms, everywhere.
How to form it
Noun + といわず + noun + といわず
Nouns only. It is と言わず: without singling out A or B.
- A and B
- Two parts of one whole: 顔 and 腕, 棚 and 床, 昼 and 夜.
- After it
- Something that covers the lot: 泥だらけ, びしょぬれ, 人であふれる. Often something unwelcome.
- Where you'll meet it
- Novels, essays, lively storytelling. In everyday talk it is AもBも, or 中: 体中泥だらけ.
- Said once
- Something else, and people do say it: 明日といわず、今日から始めよう, "never mind tomorrow, let's start today".
In use
Day and night, the noise of the building work carried all through the neighborhood.
昼といわず夜といわず, at all hours, is a pair you will meet often.
Inside the warehouse, fine dust lay over everything, shelves and floor alike.
On the day of the festival the whole area was packed with people, station front, back streets and all.
The two are only examples
I got bitten by mosquitoes on my hands and legs.
Those two places.
I got bitten by mosquitoes all over: hands, legs, everywhere.
All over. Hands and legs are only examples.
Close neighbours
を問わずN2
The plain "regardless of" of rules and notices: 昼夜を問わず, day or night.
This consultation service is available day and night.
Other pairs that name two things
なり～なりN1
Offers options: "A, or B, or something". Advice, a request or your own plan follows.
Please reply by phone, by email, whichever suits you.
Says it makes no difference: "whether A or B". Written, firm.
Student or working adult, everyone must follow this library's rules.
といい～といいN1
Gives two grounds for one verdict: "the A, the B, all good", or all bad.
The location, the service: you can't fault this hotel.
Puts it in between: "neither quite A nor quite B".
His reply was vague, neither clearly a yes nor a no.
だの～だのN1
Sounds fed up: "A, B, on and on", what someone keeps saying. Spoken.
The guest went on and on: the room was small, the view was bad, and so on.
Check yourself
1What does this mean?
机の
Choose an answer to see why.
2The same word goes in both blanks.
弟は、
Choose an answer to see why.
More sentences
I had run through the rain, so I was soaked from head to foot, hair, clothes and all.
Weekdays and weekends alike, enquiries kept coming in to the help desk.
The venue was packed with supporters, down the aisles, up the stairs, everywhere.
The hall was decorated with flowers of every color, from the entrance to the seats.
Not always unwelcome.