N3 Methods, Scope, and Relation

~に対たいして① (Target): meaning, usage and examples

~に対たいして① (Target) means: toward... / to... (target of an action or feeling).

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

Examples

1. あの先生せんせいは、子こどもに対たいしてきびしい。

   That teacher is strict with children.

2. 彼かれの意見いけんに対たいして、質問しつもんがあります。

   I have a question regarding his opinion.

3. 鈴木すずきさんはお客きゃくさんに対たいして、いつも丁寧ていねいです。

   Ms. Suzuki is always polite to customers.

4. 先生せんせいの質問しつもんに対たいして、すぐに答こたえました。

   I answered the teacher's question right away.

When to use it

に対たいして marks the person or thing an action, feeling or attitude is aimed at: "toward", "to" or "against". It is common with words for behavior and reactions: 客きゃくに対たいして丁寧ていねいだ (polite to customers), 質問しつもんに対たいして答こたえる (answer a question), 親おやに対たいする感謝かんしゃ (gratitude toward your parents). Before a noun it becomes に対たいする.

Nuance

It is a little more formal than plain に and stresses that someone faces a target with a certain attitude: kind, strict, rude, critical. It fits reactions and opinions well: 意見いけんに対たいして反対はんたいする. In everyday speech, simple に is often enough for direction (先生せんせいに話はなす), so に対たいして is used when the attitude matters.

Compare

にとって gives a point of view, "for someone" or "from someone's side": 私わたしにとって大切たいせつだ (it is important to me). に対たいして points an attitude at a target: 私わたしに対たいして優やさしい (kind to me). に対たいして② (contrast) compares two things: 兄あにが背せが高たかいのに対たいして、弟おとうとは低ひくい. In the target meaning, に対たいして comes right after a noun, with no の.

Tip: Ask "who feels or judges?" If the person after に対たいして receives the attitude (先生せんせいに対たいして失礼しつれいだ), use に対たいして. If the person after it is the one judging (先生せんせいにとって大事だいじだ), use にとって.