不管
no matter; regardless of
bùguǎn
What does 不管 mean?
不管 (bùguǎn) is chiefly a conjunction meaning 'no matter / regardless of,' introducing a condition that will not change the outcome: 不管天气怎么样，我们都去 (no matter what the weather is like, we're going). It requires a question-like element after it — a question word (谁, 什么, 怎么), an A-not-A form (好不好), or an 'or' choice (是…还是) — and pairs with 都 or 也 in the main clause. This structural requirement is the main thing English speakers must master; you cannot just plug 不管 in front of a plain statement.
Literally 'not (不) manage/care (管),' 不管 also keeps a separate literal meaning 'to not look after / not deal with' (他不管这件事 = he won't deal with this). Its formal, written twin is 无论 (wúlùn).
Note: The 'no matter / regardless' conjunction sense is conversational. There is also a literal spoken sense 'not to care about / not manage' (他不管孩子).
Character breakdown
not
to manage; to care about; to control
Memory hook: 'Don't manage/mind' (不管) the variable — whatever it turns out to be, the result stands: no matter what.
Example sentences
不管多难，我都要试试。
Bùguǎn duō nán, wǒ dōu yào shìshi.
No matter how hard it is, I'm going to try.
spoken
不管你去不去，我都会去。
Bùguǎn nǐ qù bú qù, wǒ dōu huì qù.
Whether you go or not, I'm going.
spoken
不管天气怎么样，比赛照常进行。
Bùguǎn tiānqì zěnmeyàng, bǐsài zhàocháng jìnxíng.
No matter the weather, the match goes on as usual.
neutral
他只顾自己，不管别人。
Tā zhǐ gù zìjǐ, bùguǎn biéren.
He only cares about himself and ignores others.
spoken
Common phrases with 不管
Synonyms
无论 is the formal, written-leaning equivalent of the conjunction 不管; both mean 'no matter' and take a question word plus 都/也. Use 无论 in essays and formal speech, 不管 in casual conversation. 无论 cannot carry the literal 'not care about' sense that 不管 has.
不论 also means 'regardless of' and sits between 不管 and 无论 in formality, common in writing. It works in the same 'no matter… all…' structure; 不管 is the most colloquial of the three.
Don't confuse 不管 with
FAQ
Acquire by listening
Hear 不管 in real Chinese, not in a flashcard.
Fluentide picks the next news episode at your level, so this word shows up again and again in real sentences. Pinyin, translation, and the episode where you heard it — every time. Free to start, no card.