いずれ劣おとらぬ

Meanings

noun-modifying (irregular)

equally excellent; all outstanding; none inferior

A set phrase used prenominally to describe a group where every member is equally skilled, talented, or impressive; often carries a positive, admiring tone.

彼かれらはいずれ劣おとらぬ実じつ力りょく者しゃばかりだ。
They are all equally capable people.
いずれ劣おとらぬ名めい作さくが並ならんでいる。
Masterpieces, none inferior to the others, are lined up.

Kanji

劣inferiority, be inferior to, be worse
何what

Related words

どれも劣おとらない
A more straightforward, less idiomatic way to say 'none are inferior'; いずれ劣らぬ is a fixed literary expression.
甲こう乙おつつけがたい
Means 'hard to rank' or 'equally matched', focusing on difficulty of comparison rather than inherent excellence.

Written forms

いずれ劣おとらぬ
Standard kana-kanji mixed spelling; the most common written form.
何いずれ劣おとらぬ
Kanji form using 何れ for いずれ; less common and may appear literary or old-fashioned.

Etymology

A fixed phrase combining the classical pronoun いずれ ('which one') with the negative form of the verb 劣る (おとる, 'to be inferior') and the classical negative auxiliary ぬ. Literally 'none are inferior', it fossilized as a prenominal modifier.