Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 6: 9/17

~なり~なりOr, Either or

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 and 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.

Examples

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    小説(しょうせつ)勇者(ゆうしゃ)魔王(まおう):「仲間(なかま)にだけは()()さないでください。(おれ)()なり()なり()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)

    (おこ)った(おや)子供(こども)に:部屋(へや)漫画(まんが)(ぼん)だらけにしないで!()まないものは()なり()てるなりして(かた)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(ちちおや)(むすめ)に:孤独(こどく)(かん)じていたのなら、(おれ)なり(かあ)さんになり電話(でんわ)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(ともだち)にアドバイスする:(だま)ってばかりいないでよ。喧嘩(けんか)するなり文句(もんく)()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(けが)をしている友達(ともだち)にアドバイスする:「ケガをしてるよ!絆創膏(ばんそうこう)()なり包帯(ほうたい)()なりした(ほう)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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