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〜かれ〜かれ

whether X or Y (遅かれ早かれ, 多かれ少なかれ, 良かれ悪しかれ)

い-adj stem + かれ + opposite stem + かれ

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〜かれ〜かれ pairs two opposite い-adjectives to mean "whether X or Y, either way". It survives in a handful of fixed phrases:

  • 遅かれ早かれ: sooner or later. 遅かれ早かれ、真実は明らかになる, "sooner or later, the truth will come out".
  • 多かれ少なかれ: to a greater or lesser extent. 誰でも多かれ少なかれ悩みがある.
  • 良かれ悪しかれ (よかれあしかれ): for better or worse.

The かれ is a classical imperative-concessive ending ("be it X"), so you can't make new pairs freely. Learn them as vocabulary.

Note that English says "sooner or later", but Japanese usually puts 遅かれ first. 良かれと思って is a separate phrase meaning "meaning well".

Examples

  • 遅おそかれ早はやかれ、真実しんじつは明あきらかになる。

    Sooner or later, the truth will come out.

  • 人ひとは多おおかれ少すくなかれ悩なやみを抱かかえている。

    Everyone has worries, to a greater or lesser extent.

  • 良よかれ悪あしかれ、彼かれは町まちの有名人ゆうめいじんだ。

    For better or worse, he's famous around town.

  • 遅おそかれ早はやかれ、彼かれもそのことに気きづくだろう。

    He'll realise it too, sooner or later.

  • 誰だれでも多おおかれ少すくなかれ嘘うそをつくものだ。

    Everyone lies to some extent.