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Formation: N + に対して; N + に対する + N; N + に対し (formal); contrast: V / い-adj plain + のに対して, な-adj / N + な／である + のに対して

〜に対して has three main uses. First, it marks the person or thing that an action, feeling or attitude is directed at, as in 客に対して失礼だ or 政府に対する批判. Second, as 〜のに対して, it sets two facts side by side as opposites (whereas A, B), and the comparison is objective and neutral. Third, with numbers, it gives a ratio (per, for every). It is neutral to formal, and に対し is the more written form. Learners often confuse it with 〜に関して, which only marks the topic something is about. 〜に対して marks the target being acted on or reacted to. In its contrast use, compare 〜一方で, which can simply add another side, and 〜に引き換え, which makes a subjective and often critical comparison.

Variants: に対し、に対する、に対しては、に対しても、のに対して

Examples

• お客様に対して、そんな言い方をしてはいけない。
  You mustn't speak to customers like that.
• 姉が社交的なのに対し、妹は人見知りだ。
  Whereas the older sister is outgoing, the younger one is shy.
• 求職者一人に対して、求人は一・五件ある。
  There are 1.5 job openings for every job seeker.

In real texts 0 occurrence(s)

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