どうにも

ど

う

に

も

Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

adverb

(not) at all; in no way; no matter what

usually written using kana alone

Used with negative verbs to express that something cannot be done no matter what one tries, or that a situation is completely impossible. Often appears as どうにもならない or どうにもできない.

この問もん題だいはどうにもならない。
There's nothing that can be done about this problem.
彼かれの気き持もちはどうにも理り解かいできない。
I just can't understand his feelings at all.

adverb

terribly; awfully; hopelessly

usually written using kana alone

Emphasizes an extreme degree of a negative state or quality, often with adjectives like 暑い, 寒い, まずい, etc. Conveys a sense of being beyond help or unbearably so.

今日きょうはどうにも暑あつくてたまらない。
It's terribly hot today; I can't stand it.
この料りょう理りはどうにもまずい。
This dish is hopelessly bad.

Usage patterns

どうにも〈動どう詞し〉ないcannot ~ no matter what one tries
説せつ明めいしてもどうにも分わからない。
No matter how it's explained, I just can't understand it at all.
どうにも〈形けい容よう詞し〉hopelessly/terribly [adjective]
今日きょうの暑あつさはどうにもひどい。
Today's heat is just unbearably awful.

Expressions

どうにもこうにも(not) in any way; in no way; at all
どうにもならないhopeless; beyond help; nothing can be done

Grammar

どうにも～ないnothing to be done; just can'tN1

Kanji

如likeness, like, such as
何what

Related words

仕し方かたないN2sense 1
仕方ない means 'it can't be helped' and describes accepting a situation, while どうにも (especially as どうにもならない) stresses that no action whatsoever can change it.
ひどく sense 2
ひどく means 'terribly, severely' and simply intensifies a negative quality, whereas どうにも in this sense adds a nuance of being beyond help or unbearable.

Don't confuse with

どうしてもN3
どうしても looks and sounds similar to どうにも, but どうしても works in both positive and negative sentences ('by all means'), while どうにも is limited to negative or hopeless situations.
いかにもN2
如何にも is written identically to どうにも but read いかにも and means 'indeed, just like', so learners must not confuse the two readings and meanings of the same kanji form.

Etymology

Compound of どう (how) + に (particle) + も (also/even). The combination どうにも literally means 'in whatever way also', which developed into the adverbial sense of 'no matter how' and then into the emphatic negative usage.