に対して|にたいして
- 1Toward, against, or in response to someone or something that is the target of an action, attitude, or feeling.Ex. 1
- 2In contrast to, or whereas, setting two facts side by side to show their difference.Ex. 3
- 3Per or for every, expressing a ratio or proportion.Ex. 4
Plain formThe plain forms without です／ます, for verbs, adjectives and nouns alike: affirmative or negative, non-past or past.
行く・高い・静かだ・学生だ (and their negative and past forms)
QuantityA number plus a counter.
三つ・二人・五冊・一時間
Lengths of time count too: 三年・一時間・二週間. Points in time such as 三時・三月 do not.
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Common in both speech and writing, and leans somewhat formal. It appears in news, discussions of opinions and reactions, and comparisons. Unlike について, which marks the topic being discussed, に対して marks the target that an action or attitude is aimed at, such as protest, support, or kindness.
Learners often use に対して for the topic of talk or thought; use について for 'about' with verbs like 話す or 考える.
Do not use に対して for 'from the standpoint of' in evaluations like 大切だ or 難しい; that meaning requires にとって.
Note that before a clause in the contrast sense you need の (…のに対して), and a noun takes に対する before another noun.
- 1.についてN3「について」introduces the topic of actions like speaking, thinking, writing, or investigating (about...), as in 「この問題について話す」; it does not mark the target of an attitude and has no contrast or ratio usage.
- 2.にとってN3「にとって」evaluates something from the standpoint of a person or organization, followed by evaluative words like 「大切だ」or 「難しい」, while 「に対して」marks the target of an action or attitude. They cannot be swapped: 'for me' is 「私にとって」.
- 3.に関する / に関してN3「に関して」only introduces the topic of discussion, explanation, or action (about...), and is rather formal; it does not mark the direction of an attitude or action and has no contrast or ratio meaning. 'Rebelling against one's parents' can only use 「に対して」.
- 4.に比べてN3「に比べて」corresponds only to the contrast sense of 「に対して」: it takes the first item as a baseline and compares degrees or differences in nature, whereas 「に対して」emphasizes two situations set in opposite contrast. For marking a target or expressing ratios, only 「に対して」works.
- 5.にひきかえN1「にひきかえ」also matches only the contrast sense of 「に対して」, but carries strong subjective praise or blame, often highlighting one side's superiority against the other's inferiority, with a formal tone; the contrast of 「に対して」is more objective. It cannot be used for marking a target or expressing ratios.
- 6.に反してN2「に反して」means a result goes against expectations or wishes, or violates rules, attaching to nouns like 「予想」or 「規則」, and is rather formal; the contrast of 「に対して」simply juxtaposes two differences with no sense of 'going against', so the two cannot be interchanged.
について and に関して mark the topic or subject matter, にとって marks whose standpoint an evaluation reflects, and に対して marks the target an action or attitude is aimed at. に比べて compares degrees; in its contrast sense に対して simply sets two facts side by side, whereas にひきかえ adds a subjective, often critical judgment and に反して means 'contrary to' an expectation or rule.
