〜において vs 〜にとって vs 〜に対して ni oite · ni totte · ni taishite
〜において sets a formal context; 〜にとって gives a viewpoint; 〜に対して marks a target; 〜について marks a topic. 会議において means “at the meeting.” 学生にとってこの本は難しい evaluates the book from students’ perspective. 学生に対して説明する addresses students, whereas 学生について説明する talks about them. The phrases are not interchangeable merely because English may translate several as “for” or “about.”
also written nioite / nitotte / nitaishite
in; at (formal で) · for; from the standpoint of · toward; in response to
Sentences
6 sentences, word by word
the formal setting
polite
、。
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会議
かいぎ ［1］
meeting; conference
noun · 会 meet ＋ 議 discuss
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において
において
at; in
Noun ＋ において · a written-register で marking where something happened
〜においてN3in; at
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その
その
that
demonstrative · その attaches to a noun, それ stands alone
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問題
もんだい ［0］
issue; problem
noun · 問 ask ＋ 題 topic
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が
が
marks the subject
particle · what the sentence is about — with 好き, 分かる and potentials, the object
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議論されました
ぎろんされました
was discussed
polite past passive of 議論する · passive keeps the actor out of it
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The issue was discussed at the meeting.
the everyday particle
polite
、。
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会議
かいぎ ［1］
meeting
noun · unchanged from the sentence above
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で
で
in; at — where it happens
particle · where the action happens, or the manner it happens in
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その
その
that
demonstrative · same as above
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問題
もんだい ［0］
issue
noun · same as above
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が
が
marks the subject
particle · what the sentence is about — with 好き, 分かる and potentials, the object
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議論されました
ぎろんされました
was discussed
polite past passive · identical verb, identical event
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The issue was discussed at the meeting.
whose judgement it is
polite
、。
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学生
がくせい ［0］
student
noun · 学 study ＋ 生 person
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にとって
にとって
for; from the standpoint of
Noun ＋ にとって · everything after it is an evaluation seen from here
〜にとってN3for; to
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この
この
this
demonstrative · この attaches to a noun, これ stands alone
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本
ほん ［1］
book
noun · は marks it as the thing being judged
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は
は
as for — the topic
particle · written は, read わ
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少し
すこし ［2］
a little
adverb · softens 難しい without changing it
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難しいです
むずかしいです
is difficult
い-adjective ＋ です · an evaluation, which is what にとって requires
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For students, this book is a little difficult.
who it was aimed at
polite
、。
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学生
がくせい ［0］
students
noun · unchanged from the sentence above
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に対して
にたいして
toward; to
Noun ＋ に対して · marks the target an action is directed at
〜に対してN3toward
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丁寧に
ていねいに
politely; carefully
な-adjective 丁寧 ＋ に · turns it into an adverb
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説明しました
せつめいしました
explained
polite past of 説明する · an action, which is why にとって is impossible here
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I explained it to the students politely.
the topic
polite
、。
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その
その
that
demonstrative · pointing at an opinion already mentioned
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意見
いけん ［1］
opinion; view
noun · 意 thought ＋ 見 see
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について
について
about; concerning
Noun ＋ について · marks what is being talked about, not what is being faced
〜についてN3about
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詳しく
くわしく
in detail
adverb form of 詳しい · 詳しい also means well-informed
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説明しました
せつめいしました
explained
polite past of 説明する · handling a subject, so について fits
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I explained that opinion in detail.
the target
polite
、。
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その
その
that
demonstrative · same opinion as above
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意見
いけん ［1］
opinion
noun · unchanged from the sentence above
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に対して
にたいして
against; in response to
Noun ＋ に対して · the opinion is now something being faced, not described
〜に対してN3toward; against
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はっきり
はっきり ［3］
clearly; plainly
adverb · often doubles as “without hedging”
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反対しました
はんたいしました
opposed
polite past of 反対する · directed at something, which selects に対して
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I clearly opposed that opinion.
Structure
How do you form these four?
Noun＋において
会議において. Before a noun it becomes における: 現代における教育. Written register — で is the spoken equivalent.
Noun＋にとって
私にとって. What follows is always an evaluation — 大切だ, 難しい, 宝物だ. Never an action.
Noun＋に対して
学生に対して. Before a noun, に対する: 質問に対する答え. What follows is an attitude or action directed outward.
Noun＋について
その意見について. Pairs with 話す, 書く, 考える, 調べる — verbs of handling a subject rather than facing a target.
Meaning
What's the difference between において, にとって, に対して and について?
Each one replaces a particle whose meaning is too broad.
において is a formal で.会議において決定されました and 会議で決定されました mean the same thing; the first belongs in minutes and the second in the corridor. It marks the setting — place, occasion, field, or era.
にとって supplies a viewpoint.学生にとってこの本は難しいです — hard, as students see it. What follows must be a judgement. 学生にとって説明しました is wrong, because explaining is an action, not an opinion.
に対して supplies a target.学生に対して丁寧に説明しました — the explaining was aimed at them. It often carries a faint sense of facing something: 批判に対して, 質問に対して, 意見に対して反対する.
について supplies a topic.その意見について説明した is explaining what the opinion is. その意見に対して反対した is pushing back against it. Talking about versus responding to — that one distinction resolves most of the confusion between these two.
Watch out
Where does this go wrong?
にとって followed by an action
私にとって手紙を書きました is not Japanese. にとって can only be followed by a judgement — 大切です, 難しいです, 意味があります. For a recipient you want に.
について where you meant に対して
批判について答えた means you answered on the subject of the criticism. 批判に対して答えた means you answered it back. In a report, the second is almost always what you want.
Using において for people
It marks settings, not participants. 彼において is wrong for “for him” — that is 彼にとって. において takes places, occasions, fields and eras: 日本において, 現代において.
Also asked
Questions people ask about において, にとって and に対して
Is において just a formal で?
For the setting meaning, yes — that is the useful way to hold it. The one thing で does that において does not is mark a means: バスで行く can never be バスにおいて行く.
What are における and に対する?
The noun-modifying versions. 日本における教育, education in Japan; 質問に対する答え, the answer to the question. Any time the phrase has to sit in front of a noun, swap て for る.
When can I just use に instead of に対して?
Whenever the verb already implies a target: 学生に説明した is perfectly natural. に対して adds emphasis and formality. Whether bare に is available follows the verb, not the noun: 質問に答える and 要求に応じる are fine, while 批判に対して反論する wants the fuller form.
Does に対して ever mean “whereas”?
Yes, and it is a separate use worth knowing. After a clause it draws a contrast: 兄は静かなのに対して、弟はよく喋る — my older brother is quiet, whereas my younger one talks a lot. Common in written comparisons.
Is にとって the same as には?
They overlap, and 私には難しい is normal speech. にとって is more explicit about the viewpoint and more formal, which is why it dominates in writing. には is also busier — it does location and time as well.
What level are these on the JLPT?
They sit around N3, with について appearing earlier and において stretching into N2 reading passages. All four are heavily used in news, business email and academic writing, which is where you will actually meet them.
