Structure
Verb[る](A) + なり + Verb[る](B) + なり + する
Noun (A) + (Particle(1))+ なり + Noun (B) + (Particle(1))+ なり
Noun (A) + なり + Noun (B) + なり + (Particle(1))
Verb[る]+ なり + WH-Word + (Particle)+ なり + する
Noun + (Particle(1))+ なり + WH-Word + (Particle(1))+ なり
(1) Particles を and が cannot be used in this case
Details
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Polite
About ~なり~なり
When the classical adverbial particle なり is used in lists, it expresses that each item within that list is a possibility, but that one particular thing will be or needs to be chosen. This use of なり will indicate that either (A) or (B) is fine, but anything else that falls within that same category is probably fine too. Due to this, it is non-exhaustive.
なり is a fairly polite construction and will appear after either verbs in their dictionary forms, or nouns that may or may not be followed by another particle. This is in cases where that particle is giving important information involved in the 'choice'. An example of this would be に for marking a location.
As with all adverbial particles, なり cannot follow either が or を.
Caution
This emphasis on (A) なり (B) なり presenting lists from which something will be chosen is what differentiates it from similar structures such as など and や. Due to this, なり will not be used to mean 'such as', but only for 'either, or' statements.
Synonyms
Examples
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小説、勇者が魔王に:「仲間にだけは手を出さないでください。俺を煮るなり焼くなり好きにしていい!」
A novel, Hero to Demon King: 'Please don't lay a hand on my friends! Instead, you can do whatever you like to me!' (Literally - Boil me or grill me)
怒った親が子供に:「部屋を漫画本だらけにしないで!読まないものは売るなり捨てるなりして片づけなさい!」
Angry parent to a child: 'Don't scatter the manga all over the room! Either sell or throw away the things you don't read!
父親は娘に:「孤独を感じていたのなら、俺になり母さんになり電話くれればよかったのに。」
Father to daughter: 'If you were feeling lonely, you should have called me or mom…'
友達にアドバイスする:「黙ってばかりいないでよ。喧嘩するなり文句を言うなりしてみたら?」
Giving advice to a friend: 'Don't be quiet all the time! Why don't you try to argue or complain?'
怪我をしている友達にアドバイスする:「ケガをしてるよ!絆創膏を貼るなり包帯を巻くなりした方がいいんじゃないかな!」
Giving advice to and injured friend: 'You are injured! I think you'd better put a band-aid on or bandage it.'
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