[Serie: All About Japanese Particles]
1. Indicates a choice: “or, whether or not.”
Note: This usage is similar to the more common ka (#11, II-1), but nari lends slightly more emphasis.
その問題につて、松田先生なり、高山先生なりに聞いてみてください。
Sono mondai ni tsuite, Matsuda-sensei nari, Takayama-sensei nari ni kiite mite kudasai.
Please ask either Professor Matsuda or Professor Takayama about that problem.
明日行くなり、あさって行くなり、早く決めましょう。
Ashita iku nari, asatte iku nari, hayaku kimemashō.
Let’s hurry up and decide whether we are going tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. / Are we going tomorrow or the day after tomorrow? Let’s hurry up and decide.
2. Indicates a suggestion: “or something.”
まだ時間がありますから、喫茶店でお茶を飲むなりしましょうか。
Mada jikan ga arimasu kara, kissaten de ocha o nomu nari shimashō ka.
Since there’s still time, shall we drink some tea at a coffee shop or something?
健康のためにテニスなり、ゴルフなり、何か運動をした方がいいですよ。
Kankō no tame ni tenisu nari, gorufu nari, nani ka undō o shita hō ga ii desu yo.
For the sake of health, you had better get some exercise, like playing tennis or golf.
*3. Indicates that a second action follows immediately upon the action preceding it: “as soon as.”
Note: This usage is similar to to (#6, III-1) and –tara (#35, no. 5).
信号が青になりなり、待っていた車が走り出した。
Shingō ga ao ni naru nari, matte ita kuruma ga hashiridashita.
As soon as the light turned green, the waiting card began moving.
山本さんが電車に飛び乗るなり、ドアが閉まった。
Yamamoto-san ga densha ni tobinoru nari, doa ga shimastta.
As soon as Yamamoto jumped into the train, the doors closed.
*4. The expression nan nari: “whatever, anything.”
ご不満なことがあったら、何なりとおっしゃってください。
Go-fuman na koto ga attara, nan nari to osshatte kudasai.
If there is anything unsatisfactory, please say so [lit., say whatever it is].
*5. The expression dai nari shō nari: “whether big or small.”
どこにでも、大なり小なり問題はあるでしょう。
Doko ni demo, dai nari shō nari mondai wa aru deshō.
There are problems everywhere – some big, some small. / Everyone has problems, whether they be big or small.
– Source: All about particles – A handbook of Japanese function words –
