towards, against, in contrast to

Intermediate

25-30 min

very common

Expert Reviewed

Explanation

Indicates direction of action/feeling or contrast between things.

[Noun] + に対して

彼は年上の人に対して敬語を使う。

Kare wa toshiue no hito ni taishite keigo wo tsukau.

He uses polite language towards older people.

私は肉が好きなのに対して、妻は魚が好きだ。

Watashi wa niku ga suki na no ni taishite, tsuma wa sakana ga suki da.

While I like meat, my wife likes fish.

Can mean "towards" or "in contrast to" depending on context.

～に関して/関する

regarding, concerning, about

～において/における

in, at, on, regarding

～ために (tame ni)

in order to ~, for the purpose of ~

～のに (noni)

although ~, despite ~, even though ~

～にもかかわらず

despite ~, in spite of ~

～ようになる

come to ~, become able to ~, reach the point where ~

Learn both meanings: direction and contrast.

JLPTBooks Editorial Team

Japanese Language Education Specialists

Last updated: Jan 2

Study with our comprehensive grammar guides and practice materials.