JLPT N2Telling what happenedSurprise or criticism

もかまわずnot caring about

Someone acts with no thought for what would hold most people back: who is watching, how late it is, getting dirty. It is usually said with surprise or disapproval.

人ひと目めもかまわず、二人ふたりは駅えきのホームで抱だき合あった。

Not caring who was watching, the two of them hugged on the station platform.

泥どろで服ふくが汚よごれるのもかまわず、彼かの女じょは子こ犬いぬを抱だき上あげた。

She picked up the puppy, not caring that her clothes would get muddy.

After a noun

Noun + もかまわず

After a clause

Plain form + の + もかまわず

服ふくが汚よごれるのもかまわず. A noun or a な-adjective takes な: 夜よ中なかなのもかまわず.

Before it: What would hold most people back: 人ひと目め (people watching), 時じ間かん (how late it is), 周まわりの迷めい惑わく (the nuisance to others).
After it: What they went ahead and did: 泣ないた, 騒さわぎ続つづけた, 走はしり出だした.
Said about: Mostly someone you watched. Now and then you are touched and not shocked, as with the puppy.
Where you'll meet it: Stories and accounts of what someone did, written or told. In a chat people more often say 〜も気きにしないで: 人ひと目めも気きにしないで.

In use

眠ねむっている人ひともいるのに、彼かれらは時じ間かんもかまわず騒さわぎ続つづけた。

Even though some people were asleep, they kept making noise, not caring how late it was.

隣となりの人ひとは、夜よ中なかなのもかまわず大おおきな音おとで音おん楽がくをかける。

My neighbor plays music loudly, not caring that it's the middle of the night.

周しゅう囲いの視し線せんもかまわず、彼かの女じょは道みち端ばたで泣なき続つづけた。

She went on crying at the side of the road, not caring that people were looking.

Two set phrases without も

所ところかまわずwherever they happen to be

彼かれは所ところかまわず大おお声ごえで電でん話わをする。

He talks loudly on the phone wherever he happens to be.

なりふりかまわずwith no thought for appearances

彼かの女じょはなりふりかまわず働はたらいて、三さん人にんの子こどもを育そだてた。

She worked with no thought for appearances, and brought up three children.

Close neighbours

てもかまわないN4

A look-alike with another job: "it's fine if". It gives permission. もかまわず tells how someone acted.

この資し料りょうは持もち帰かえってもかまいません。

You may take this material home.

にかかわらずN2

For rules and offers: it makes no difference which. Nobody is ignoring anything.

規き模ぼの大だい小しょうにかかわらず、すべての事じ故こを報ほう告こくしてください。

Please report every accident, however large or small.

をものともせずN1

Written, and admiring: someone carries on in the face of a real obstacle.

救きゅう助じょ隊たいは激はげしい吹雪ふぶきをものともせず、遭そう難なん者しゃの捜そう索さくを続つづけた。

Undeterred by the fierce blizzard, the rescue team continued searching for those who were missing.

Check yourself

1What does this mean?

弟おとうとは服ふくがぬれるのもかまわず、川かわに入はいった。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

年ねん齢れい（　　）、どなたでも参さん加かできます。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

かまわず is an older way to say かまわないで, "without minding". In writing you will also see the kanji: 構かまわず.

More sentences

家か族ぞくの心しん配ぱいもかまわず、彼かれは連れん絡らくもせずに旅たびを続つづけた。

He kept traveling without even getting in touch, not caring that his family was worried.

反はん対たいの声こえもかまわず、市し長ちょうは計けい画かくを進すすめた。

The mayor pushed ahead with the plan, paying no attention to the opposition.

Compared with similar forms

Going ahead in spite of something