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Level Upper-Intermediate Chinese · HSK 4

For Me, In Terms Of, Regarding: 对…来说, 在…方面, 对于, 关于, 在于, 根据

When you give an opinion or compare things, you need to say from whose point of view and in which respect. Chinese does this with frames that go at the start of the sentence or before the verb. Many of them are two-part: 对 … 来说, 在 … 方面, 拿 … 来说.

对…来说, 在…方面 and 拿…来说

对 (duì) + person + 来说 (lái shuō) means 'for (someone), as far as … is concerned': 对我来说，周末最重要 (for me, weekends matter most). Don't confuse it with 对 + person + 说 (say to someone).

在 + noun + 方面 (fāngmiàn) means 'in terms of, in the area of'; 在…上 is similar for abstract things (在学习上, as regards studying), and 在…下 means 'under' conditions or help (在老师的帮助下).

拿 (ná) + example + 来说 means 'take … for example': 拿我来说 (take me, for example). 比如 (bǐrú) is the simpler 'for example'.

  • 对我来说，健康比钱重要。

    Duì wǒ lái shuō, jiànkāng bǐ qián zhòngyào.

    For me, health matters more than money.

  • 在教育方面，这个城市投入了很多资金。

    Zài jiàoyù fāngmiàn, zhège chéngshì tóurùle hěn duō zījīn.

    In education, this city has invested a lot of money.

  • 在大家的帮助下，我们按时完成了任务。

    Zài dàjiā de bāngzhù xià, wǒmen ànshí wánchéngle rènwu.

    With everyone's help, we finished the job on time.

对于 vs 关于

Both translate as 'regarding, about', but they aren't interchangeable. 关于 (guānyú) marks the topic: 'about, on the subject of'. It is the word for titles: 关于环境的文章 (an article about the environment). 对于 (duìyú) marks the thing someone has an attitude or action towards: 对于这个问题，我有不同的看法 (on this issue, I see things differently).

Rule of thumb: if you could say 'concerning the subject of', use 关于; if it's 'towards' or 'with respect to' an attitude, use 对于 (or just 对). 关于 phrases usually go at the start of the sentence, not after the subject.

  • 关于这件事，我们明天再讨论。

    Guānyú zhè jiàn shì, wǒmen míngtiān zài tǎolùn.

    We'll discuss this matter again tomorrow.

  • 对于学生来说，时间管理非常重要。

    Duìyú xuésheng lái shuō, shíjiān guǎnlǐ fēicháng zhòngyào.

    For students, time management is very important.

在于, 针对 and 根据

在于 (zàiyú) means 'lies in, depends on': 问题在于… (the problem lies in…), 成功的关键在于坚持 (the key to success lies in perseverance). 针对 (zhēnduì) means 'aimed at, in response to': 针对这个问题.

根据 (gēnjù) means 'according to, on the basis of': 根据调查 (according to the survey). It cites evidence or rules, not a person's opinion; for 'according to him', say 他说 or 在他看来.

  • 学好语言的关键在于多练习。

    Xuéhǎo yǔyán de guānjiàn zàiyú duō liànxí.

    The key to learning a language well lies in practising a lot.

  • 根据最新的调查，年轻人越来越喜欢网上购物。

    Gēnjù zuì xīn de diàochá, niánqīngrén yuè lái yuè xǐhuan wǎngshàng gòuwù.

    According to the latest survey, young people increasingly like shopping online.

Common mistakes

  • ✗我对他来说，他是个好人。

    ✓对我来说，他是个好人。

    Duì wǒ lái shuō, tā shì ge hǎo rén.

    The whole frame 对 + person + 来说 goes at the front; the person inside it is the one whose view counts.

  • ✗这是一本对于中国历史的书。

    ✓这是一本关于中国历史的书。

    Zhè shì yì běn guānyú Zhōngguó lìshǐ de shū.

    For the topic of a book, talk or article, use 关于.

  • ✗根据我，这个办法不好。

    ✓在我看来，这个办法不好。

    Zài wǒ kàn lái, zhège bànfǎ bù hǎo.

    根据 cites evidence, not people. For 'in my view', use 在我看来 or 我认为.

Questions learners ask

Is 对…来说 the same as 对…而言?

Yes in meaning. 对…而言 is the written version, covered at C1 with 就…而言.

Can I drop 方面?

Sometimes 在 + noun + 上 replaces it (在工作上), but plain 在工作 means 'at work, working'. Keep the frame complete.

Practice this in lessons

The Upper-Intermediate Chinese lessons teach this step by step, with exercises and review built in.

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