〜であれ〜であれ

Formality Level: Formal / Written — legal texts, formal speeches, editorial writing, academic prose

Classical/Literary Origin: であれ is the classical imperative form of the copula である ("to be"). In classical Japanese, あれ (be!) was used in a generalising or concessive conditional sense: "be it X, be it Y" — meaning "whether X or Y." The doubled pattern 〜であれ〜であれ extends this: "whether one is X or Y, whether it is X or Y [the following applies in either case]." A simplified single-element form 〜であれ also exists, meaning "whatever ~ may be."

Structure

Form	Example
Noun + であれ + Noun + であれ	男であれ女であれ
Adj/clause + であれ + Adj/clause + であれ	賛成であれ反対であれ
Single use: Noun/clause + であれ	いかなる理由であれ

The two noun/adjective phrases before each であれ represent the range of alternatives. After the second であれ, the main clause states what is true or required regardless of which alternative applies.

Common single-element set expressions:

いかなる〜であれ — "whatever ~ may be"
何であれ — "whatever it may be"
誰であれ — "whoever it may be"
どんな〜であれ — "whatever kind of ~ it may be"

Meaning

"Whether ~ or ~," "regardless of whether ~ or ~"

The pattern states that the conclusion or rule in the main clause applies equally to both stated alternatives (and by implication, to any case in between). It is an emphatic way of expressing universality of application: the rule, statement, or obligation holds regardless of which of the presented options is the reality.

The formal register and classical form make it especially appropriate in legal, regulatory, or formal ethical contexts: rules that apply to everyone regardless of status, age, nationality, opinion, or any other distinguishing factor.

It often appears with contrastive pairs: male/female, supporter/opponent, Japanese/foreign, old/young, success/failure. The key implication is that no exception exists — both (and all) cases fall under the stated rule.

Example Sentences

Japanese	English
男であれ女であれ、この仕事に必要なのは体力と精神力だ。	Whether male or female, what this job requires is physical and mental strength.
賛成であれ反対であれ、まず意見を述べることが重要だ。	Whether in favour or opposed, what matters first is to state your view.
日本人であれ外国人であれ、法律の前では平等だ。	Whether Japanese or foreign, everyone is equal before the law.
いかなる理由であれ、暴力は許されない。	Whatever the reason may be, violence is not permitted.
成功であれ失敗であれ、その経験から学ぶことが大切だ。	Whether success or failure, what matters is learning from the experience.
誰であれ、規則に従う義務がある。	Whoever it may be, there is an obligation to follow the rules.

Common Mistakes

Using in casual conversation: であれ is formal/literary. In casual speech, 〜でも〜でも (whether X or Y) is natural: 男でも女でも関係ない.
Confusing with 〜であろうと〜であろうと: であろうと is a slightly more modern formal equivalent with the same meaning. Both are formal, but であれ has a stronger classical tone.
Failing to complete the pair: The pattern requires two であれ for the "whether X or Y" meaning. A single であれ alone means "whatever ~ may be" (a related but different structure).

Compare With

Pattern	Register	Meaning	Key Difference
〜であれ〜であれ	Formal/Literary	Whether ~ or ~	Classical copula form; strongest formal register
〜であろうと〜であろうと	Formal	Whether ~ or ~	Modern formal equivalent; slightly less archaic
〜にしても〜にしても	Semi-formal	Whether it be ~ or ~	Semi-formal equivalent; more versatile
〜でも〜でも	All registers	Whether ~ or ~	Casual equivalent; common in speech
〜にかかわらず	Formal	Regardless of ~	States the irrelevance of a condition; often a single condition, not a pair