No Matter the Discussion or the Way Things Are

The phrase 無論如何 functions as a way to say in any case, at any rate, whatever happens, or no matter what. According to the MOE Dictionary, it carries the meaning 不管怎麼樣.

The phrase is constructed from four characters. The first, 無, means to not have, there is not, or there does not exist. This is followed by 論, which means to discuss, to reason, to debate, or to argue. The character 論 contains the semantic component 言, meaning to say, to speak, or to talk, and uses 侖 as a phonetic component.

Next is the character 如, meaning to be like, as, as if, or as though. This character incorporates the semantic component 口, referring to the mouth, especially the lips and internal mouth cavity, and uses 女, meaning woman or female, as a phonetic component.

The final character is 何, meaning what or which. It features the semantic component 人, meaning man, person, or people, and utilizes the phonetic components 戈, a dagger-axe, and 可. The component 可 means can, may, or be able to, and is itself composed of the semantic component 口 and the phonetic component 丂. The component 丂 represents the appearance of air which is to be released and contains the components 𠃑 and 一.

Explore the full etymology graph of 無論如何 on etymfun.com.

Based on Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) and the sources listed on etymfun.com; written by a local model and fact-checked statement by statement against them. Illustration generated locally.