～に対して— Directed Toward / In Contrast

• 先生に対して失礼な態度を取ってはいけない。

  Sensei ni taishite shitsurei na taido wo totte wa ikenai.

  You must not take a rude attitude toward your teacher.

  Target of an attitude: 先生 + に対して ('toward')

• 質問に対して丁寧に答えた。

  Shitsumon ni taishite teinei ni kotaeta.

  He answered the questions politely.

  に対して marks the thing being responded to

• 兄が社交的なのに対して、弟は無口だ。

  Ani ga shakouteki na no ni taishite, otouto wa mukuchi da.

  In contrast to the sociable older brother, the younger one is quiet.

  Contrast use: 〜のに対して sets two opposing subjects against each other

• ・Meaning 1: 'toward/against' — the target of an action or feeling.
• ・Meaning 2: 'in contrast to' — often as [plain]のに対して.
• ・Use に対する before a noun (先生に対する態度).

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones ～に対して is tested against.

• ～一方(で) — On One Hand, On the Other
• ～上(に) — On Top of That
• ～くせに — And Yet You Dare
• だけでなく — Not Only That
• ついでに — While You're At It
• ～つつ(も) — While Yet Doing Otherwise
• ～というと／～といえば — Speaking Of That
• ～といっても — Even Though I Say