について — On the Subject Of
Marks the topic or subject that an action of thinking, speaking, writing, or investigating concerns: 'about / concerning / regarding'. It is neutral in register and extremely common, appearing with verbs like 話す, 考える, 調べる, 書く, and 知る. Use について for the theme you are dealing with.
Structure
[Noun] + について／についての（+ Noun）
Examples
日本の文化について研究しています。
Nihon no bunka ni tsuite kenkyuu shite imasu.
I am doing research on Japanese culture.
について marks 文化 (culture) as the subject of the research
その事件について詳しく説明してください。
Sono jiken ni tsuite kuwashiku setsumei shite kudasai.
Please explain that incident in detail.
について marks 事件 (the incident) as the topic of explanation
環境問題についての本を読んだ。
Kankyou mondai ni tsuite no hon wo yonda.
I read a book about environmental issues.
についての + Noun modifies 本 (a book concerning the topic)
• Register: neutral; usable in both speech and writing. • Used with verbs of thinking/speaking/researching: 話す, 考える, 調べる, 書く, 知る. • Attributive form is についての before a noun.
Commonly confused with
The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones について is tested against.
vs に関して
に関して is a more formal synonym ('with regard to') common in writing; について is neutral and works in everyday speech too.
vs に対して
に対して marks the target of an action/feeling; について marks the topic that thinking or discussion is about.
More formal expressions
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