について, おいて, and に関して
This page explains and compares some very similar words used to express “about (a topic)”.
The phrases here function like many other phrases, directly modifying verbs, and using の to modify nouns.
について
About
Talking or thinking type verb
Noun ＋ について
について is the most common phrase meaning “about” in Japanese. It is also the broadest, so generally this is the one you should use most of the time.
について can be used in most situations, however it is most commonly used to mark the topic of an explanation, research, thought, or conclusion.
Examples
- 犬の問題について考えた。
I thought about the dog problem. - 今日は猫について話す。
I will talk about cats today. - 日本語についてのウェブサイト
A website about Japanese. - 怖い経験について書いた
Wrote about a scary experience - に表現についてレポートを書いてください
Please write a report about に phrases. - 予算については、あとで会議を行います。
About the budget, we will hold a meeting later.
Note
について is not generally used for simple adjective statements. (Lack of thought).
- 彼について嫌い△
About him, I hate. - 彼が嫌い〇
I hate him. - かれについては、嫌いなところはあるが、いい人だと思う〇
About him, there are things I hate, but I think he’s a good person.
にかんして
With Regards to
About a topic or issue
に関して means “regarding”. It has the same meaning as について、with 2 or 3 minor differences:
- に関して is more formal and more common in writing
- に関して must be used about a specific topic, and not a choice between multiple. Source
- に関して may modify nouns as に関する, while について may not modify nouns as につく
Examples
- わいろに関しての会見が行われた
There was a press conference regarding bribes. - 旅行先に関して、意見が分かれた
The opinions were split regarding where to go for vacation. - トイレの故障に関して
Regarding the broken toilet — (Business email title line). - 職場に関しての問題
A problem regarding the workplace.
に関しての and にかんする
に関して may modify nouns as に関しての or as に関する
- 生徒に関する問題は早めに解決すべきだ
Problems regarding students should be resolved as soon as possible.
において
Within/For
(Area or field of study/Time)
において literally means “within (not physical)”. において has (almost) the same meaning as で or にて.
において is used to talk about times, fields of study, or places, It is not used about people.
において is most commonly used in writing. で tends to be used in place of において in speech.
Examples
- 教室において先生が一番えらい.
In the classroom, the teacher is the most important person. - 日本語の取得において経験が何より必要だ
Experience is the most important thing for Japanese acquisition - 歴史において不安な時代だった
It was an unstable time in history. - 料理においては、かれは誰にも負けない
In/For cooking, he won’t loose to anyone.
においての and における
Like に関して、において may modify nouns as においての or as における.
における has a meaning similar to the の particle.
- 学校におけるいじめは重大な問題
Bullying in schools is a serious problem. - 政治における腐敗は深刻になっている
Corruption in politics is becoming more severe.
References
All Japanese, sorry.
Weblio (について) (において) (にかんして)
meaning-difference