N2 Basis, Topic, and Response

~をめぐって: meaning, usage and examples

~をめぐって means: concerning... / regarding... / over...

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 新あたらしい法律ほうりつをめぐって、議論ぎろんが続つづいている。

   Debate continues concerning the new law.

2. 予算よさんをめぐって、意見いけんが対立たいりつしている。

   Opinions are divided over the budget.

3. 駅前えきまえの再さい開発かいはつをめぐって、住民じゅうみんの意見いけんが分わかれている。

   Residents are divided over the redevelopment of the area in front of the station.

4. 遺産いさんをめぐる争あらそいで、兄弟きょうだいの仲なかが悪わるくなった。

   The siblings fell out over a dispute about the inheritance.

When to use it

Means "over" or "surrounding" an issue that people argue or compete about. The noun is the center, and several people or groups have different positions around it: 新あたらしい駅えきの場所ばしょをめぐって、意見いけんが対立たいりつした (opinions clashed over the location of the new station). It appears with verbs like 議論ぎろんする, 争あらそう, 対立たいりつする.

Nuance

Formal and common in news and reports. It implies debate, conflict or competition between several parties, not just one person thinking. をめぐり is more written. Not used with verbs like 話はなす or 書かく for a neutral topic.

Compare

について is a neutral topic marker: 日本にほんの歴史れきしについて調しらべる (research Japanese history). をめぐって needs controversy around the topic: 歴史れきしの解釈かいしゃくをめぐって論争ろんそうが起おきた. に関かんして is a formal "regarding" and is also neutral, with no conflict implied: 契約けいやくに関かんして質問しつもんがある.

Tip: If there is no dispute, competition or debate, use について instead. をめぐって needs at least two sides.