不分…,都…
regardless of; making no distinction of…
Structure
不分 A B/类别 , 都 …
What it means
'Regardless of; making no distinction of …': says the same thing applies across a pair of opposites or a whole category.
How it is built
不分 + pair of opposites or category word,(subject) + 都/一律 + verb: 不分男女老少,人人都上街泼水 (everyone, young or old, man or woman, is out throwing water).
When to use it
Pairs: 男女, 昼夜, 大小; categories: 民族, 年龄, 地区. Fixed favourites: 不分彼此, 不分昼夜, 不分青红皂白. Slightly formal; 无论 and 不管 are the general words.
Watch out
Unlike 无论 and 不管, it cannot take a question word or an A不A choice: ✗不分是谁 ✓无论是谁. Don't forget 都 or 一律 to sum up.
Examples
泼水节那天,不分男女老少,人人都上街泼水。
On Water-Splashing Day everyone, young or old, man or woman, is out in the street throwing water.
这家医院不分节假日,二十四小时都有医生值班。
This hospital has doctors on duty round the clock, holidays or not.
Learn this in Lesson 10 · HSK 5: 五十六个民族 (The 56 ethnic groups)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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