N1Grammar

く + もなんともない

Not... or anything, Not at all, Not, By no means, Definitely not, Nothing like that

Structure

［い］Adjective［く］+ もなんともない

Explanation

When appended to the conjunctive form of an い-Adjective (the form ending in く), もなんともない creates a strong negation, typically translated as 'not... at all' or 'not even slightly...'. This structure is a fusion of the adverbial particle も and the adverb 何(なん)ともない, which means 'insignificant' or 'nothing to speak of'. なんともない is frequently used in negative contexts to show that the degree of something is extremely low or inconsequential.

みんなはそのテストが難(むずか)しいと言(い)っていたが、私(わたし)にとっては難(むずか)しくもなんともないものだった。
Everyone said that test was hard, but for me it wasn't difficult in the slightest.
友達(ともだち)が引(ひ)っ越(こ)したけど、不思議(ふしぎ)なことに悲(かな)しくもなんともない。
My friend moved away, but strangely enough, I'm not sad at all.
このスープはちょっとぬるいね。熱(あつ)くもなんともないよ。
This soup is a bit lukewarm, isn't it? It's not even remotely hot.

In many instances, 何(なん)ともない conveys that the state of what it describes is not significant enough to be an issue. Because of this, ～くもなんともない is often used in sentences where the adjective (A) describes something that might be expected to be a problem, but the speaker wants to emphasize that it hasn't reached that level. For this reason, ～くもなんともない is frequently attached to adjectives describing emotions or physical sensations.

Caution

This structure is also commonly used with the auxiliary adjective たい, to show a strong lack of desire to do something.

おなかがいっぱいで、デザートなんて食(た)べたくもなんともない。
I'm so full, I don't want to eat dessert at all.
あの喧嘩(けんか)の後(あと)、もう彼(かれ)の顔(かお)なんか見(み)たくもなんともない。
After that fight, I don't even want to see his face.

Examples

「やめて！その映画(えいが)のネタバレなんて聞(き)きたくもなんともないんだから。」

'Stop! I absolutely do not want to hear any spoilers for that movie.'

このパズルは難(むずか)しくもなんともない。子供(こども)でも解(と)けるよ。

This puzzle is not difficult in the slightest. Even a child could solve it.

お腹(なか)がいっぱいだから、ケーキなんて食(た)べたくもなんともないよ。

I'm full, so I don't want to eat cake or anything.

試合(しあい)には負(ま)けたけど、本気(ほんき)じゃなかったから悔(くや)しくもなんともない。

I lost the match, but since I wasn't serious about it, I'm not frustrated at all.

A：「今夜(こんや)の会社(かいしゃ)のパーティー、行(い)く？」
B：「ううん、行(い)きたくもなんともないよ。」

A: 'Are you going to the company party tonight?'
B: 'Nah, I have no desire to go whatsoever.'

あのマスコットキャラクターの人気(にんき)が理解(りかい)できない。可愛(かわい)くもなんともないじゃないか。

I can't understand the popularity of that mascot character. It's not cute by any stretch of the imagination.

昨日(きのう)、友達(ともだち)と大(おお)ゲンカした。今は彼(かれ)と話(はな)したくもなんともない。

I had a huge fight with my friend yesterday. Right now, I don't want to talk to him at all.

「虫(むし)に刺(さ)されたけど、痒(かゆ)くもなんともないぜ。」と彼(かれ)は言(い)った。

'I got bitten by an insect, but it's not itchy whatsoever,' he said.

彼(かれ)は高級車(こうきゅうしゃ)を自慢(じまん)するが、私(わたし)は羨(うらやま)しくもなんともない。

He brags about his luxury car, but I'm not envious in the slightest.

プロのピアニストにとっては、この曲(きょく)は「難(むずか)しくもなんともないだろう」。

For a professional pianist, 'this piece is likely not difficult at all'.

元彼(もとかれ)には会(あ)いたくもなんともないので、絶対(ぜったい)に避(さ)けたい。

I have absolutely no desire to see my ex-boyfriend, so I want to avoid him at all costs.

リナ：「一人(ひとり)で旅行(りょこう)？寂(さび)しくない？」
ケン：「ううん、寂(さび)しくもなんともないよ。気楽(きらく)でいいんだ。」

Rina: 'Traveling by yourself? Aren't you lonely?'
Ken: 'Not at all. I'm not lonely in the slightest. It's nice and carefree.'