Compound particles: について, に対して, によって, として and more
Multi-word particles you will see on every page of written Japanese: about, toward, according to, as, for, in terms of, regarding. Learn them as units; they attach exactly like ordinary particles.
About 5 minutes to read
Written Japanese loves particles made of two or three pieces. Each acts as a unit, attaches to a noun and works like a single particle. Reading comes quickly when you recognise these as units.
Introducing a topic or subject
Pattern
Meaning
Example
について
about
日本について話す
に関して
regarding
問題に関して
に対して
toward / against / in contrast to
客に対して
に関する
concerning (before a noun)
日本に関する本
についての
about (before a noun)
日本についての本
日本Japanについてabout話してtalkください
Please tell me about Japan.
日本Japanに関するabout本book
a book about Japan
お客様customersに対してtoward失礼rudeなことはできない
We cannot be rude toward customers.
Means, source and cause
Pattern
Meaning
Example
によって
by (passive agent), depending on, due to
人によって違う
による
caused by / by (before a noun)
事故による遅れ
を通じて / を通して
through, via
友人を通じて知った
をもとに
based on
実話をもとにした映画
人personによってdepending on意見opinionが違うdiffers
Opinions differ from person to person.
実話true storyをもとにbased onした映画movie
a movie based on a true story
Capacity and standpoint
Pattern
Meaning
Example
として
as (a role)
先生として
にとって
for (from the viewpoint of)
私にとって
における
in, at (before a noun)
日本における
においては / において
in, at
会議において
にあたって
on the occasion of
開始にあたって
彼heは先生teacherとしてas働いてworkingいる
He works as a teacher.
私meにとってfor大切importantな人person
someone important to me
日本Japanにおけるin教育education
education in Japan
Time and range
Pattern
Meaning
Example
にわたって
throughout, over
三日間にわたって
を通して
all through
一年を通して
以上 / 以下
at least / at most
十人以上
以前 / 以後
before / after
結婚以後
三日間three daysにわたってover続いたcontinued
It continued for three days.
Comparison and contrast
Pattern
Meaning
に比べて
compared to
にくらべて
compared to
に対して
in contrast to
に反して
contrary to
のわりに
considering
去年last yearに比べてcompared to今年this yearは暑いhot
This year is hot compared to last year.
子供childのわりにconsideringよく知ってknowいる
He knows a lot for a child.
Using them
Compound particles attach to nouns. Before a noun, the form usually ends in の or る (にとっての, に関する, における):
日本語Japaneseについてのabout質問question
a question about Japanese
When reading, treat each compound as one word with a fixed meaning. Look it up the first time; it will be familiar by the fifth.
Longer sentences
Formal prose is held together by compound particles. Treat each as a unit.
日本におけるin Japan少子化のdeclining birthrate's問題についてabout the problem政府はthe government国民に対してtoward the public繰り返しrepeatedly説明してきたがhas explained, but地域によってdepending on the region状況がsituation大きくgreatly異なっておりdiffers and全国一律のuniform nationwide対策ではmeasures十分とはsufficient言えないcan't be called
On the problem of the falling birthrate in Japan, the government has repeatedly explained matters to the public, but the situation differs greatly by region, and uniform nationwide measures cannot be called sufficient.
私にとってfor meこのthis本はbook単なるmere読み物ではなくreading matter not人生をlife変えるきっかけとしてas an occasion to change大きなbig意味をmeaning持っているhas
For me, this book is not mere reading but something of great significance as the occasion that changed my life.
A passage from a report
本調査はthis survey全国のnationwide二十歳以上のaged twenty or over男女をmen and women対象としてas subjects実施されたものであるwas carried out
結果によればaccording to the results年齢に関わらずregardless of age約七割のabout 70% of人がpeople仕事に対するtoward work満足度はsatisfaction「どちらかといえば高い」と"fairly high" (quote)回答しているanswered
This survey was conducted on men and women aged twenty or over across the country.
According to the results, about 70% of people, regardless of age, answered that their satisfaction with work was "fairly high".
Key points
について / に関して / に対して: about, regarding, toward.
によって / による: by, depending on, caused by.
として / にとって: as; for (viewpoint).
における: in (formal). にわたって: throughout.
に比べて: compared to.
Drill these patterns
Short example sentences for the points in this lesson: