に関する / に関して|にかんする / にかんして
- 1に関する + noun: a noun that concerns or relates to the preceding topic ("a ~ about/on …").Ex. 1
- 2に関して + predicate: an action or statement made regarding or with respect to the preceding topic.Ex. 2
PredicateThe part of a sentence that says what the subject is, what it is like, or what it does. In Japanese it usually comes at the end.
私は学生だ：学生だ・空が青い：青い・雨が降る：降る
Verb (plain form)The plain (non-ます) forms of a verb: affirmative or negative, non-past or past.
行く・行かない・行った・行かなかった
The dictionary form is only one of these: 行く.
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It is common in written and formal contexts such as reports, news, official announcements, academic writing, and business communication. It is close in meaning to について but sounds stiffer and more formal. Everyday conversation usually prefers について. に関しては is often used to set up a topic for comment.
Do not put に関して directly before a noun; use に関する or に関しての to modify a noun.
Note that in casual conversation, について usually sounds more natural than the more formal に関して.
Learners sometimes use に関して for the target of an attitude or action, where に対して is required.
- 1.についてN3「について」is close in meaning and often interchangeable with「に関する / に関して」, but it is neutral in tone and more natural in everyday speech; when modifying a noun, you must use「についての」— it cannot attach directly to a noun the way「に関する」does.
- 2.に対してN3「に対して」marks the direct target of an action, attitude, or feeling ('toward...'), such as protest or opposition, and can also express contrast and ratio;「に関して」only introduces a topic ('about...') and is more formal, so the two are generally not interchangeable.
- 3.にとってN3「にとって」evaluates something from the standpoint of a person or organization, typically followed by evaluative phrases like「大切だ」or「難しい」;「に関する / に関して」indicates what a discussion, explanation, or action concerns. They cannot be swapped.
- 4.をめぐってN2「をめぐって」requires that the topic be a point of dispute or focus of attention, and what follows is usually multi-party debate or negotiation—it does not take personal actions like「調べる」;「に関して」has no such restriction. When modifying a noun,「をめぐる」corresponds to「に関する」.
- 5.を中心にN3「を中心に」emphasizes a focal point while implying other things are also involved, and can also express expansion outward from a central location; its tone is neutral.「環境問題を中心に議論する」means discussing with environmental issues as the focus, whereas「に関して」merely states the topic.
について also means 'about' but is more neutral and conversational, and に対して marks the target of an attitude or action. にとって gives the standpoint of the person affected, をめぐって implies a dispute or debate surrounding the topic, and を中心に marks the center or focus of a range of activity rather than a subject matter.
