▎關於, guānyú, (Vs, Ptc), about, regarding

 

Function 關於 is basically a state verb, meaning ‘about, regarding, relating to’, but it can also serve as a particle marking a topic.

(1) 關於 as a state verb: 關於 is used in contexts where it is the sole verb in that sentence or clause.

1 這本書也是關於語法的。

Zhè běn shū yě shì guānyú yǔfǎ de.

This book has to do with grammar.

2 我想買一本關於語法的書。

Wǒ xiǎng mǎi yì běn guānyú yǔfǎ de shū.

I would like to buy a book on grammar.

3 關於語法的書，滿街都是。

Guānyú yǔfǎ de shū, mǎn jiē dōu shì.

Grammar books are available everywhere.

(2) 關於 as a topic marker (Ptc), ‘regarding, as far as A is concerned’: To show that the object of 關於 is a true topic of the sentence, the following examples show the topics as not related meaningwise to the primary sentences.

1 關於大熊貓，這本書上的記載並不多。

Guānyú dà xióngmāo, zhè běn shū shàng de jìzài bìng bù duō.

As to giant pandas, his book doesn’t cover much.

2 關於愛貓的死，我一點都不怪他。

Guānyú àimāo de sǐ, wǒ yìdiǎn dōu bú guài tā.

As to the death of my beloved cat, I don’t place the blame on him at all.

3 關於我請客的事，我想麻煩你替我計劃一下。

Guānyú wǒ qǐngkè de shì, wǒ xiǎng máfán nǐ tì wǒ jìhuà yíxià.

I would like to trouble you to make the arrangements for the dinner that I will be hosting.

Structures

Negation：不 and 沒 cannot be used with 關於. Only 不是 can.

1 不是關於語法的書，他不想買。

Búshì guānyú yǔfǎ de shū, tā bù xiǎng mǎi.

He is not interested in buying books that do not concern grammar.

2 這本書不是關於語法的。

Zhè běn shū búshì guānyú yǔfǎ de.

This book isn’t on grammar.

Questions：關於 itself cannot be made into a question pattern, ＊關不關於 ＊guān bù guānyú. 是不是 is the only possibility, in addition to the universal 嗎 questions.

1 這本書是關於王先生的嗎？

Zhè běn shū shì guānyú Wáng xiānshēng de ma?

Is this book about Mr. Wang?

2 關於愛貓的死，你一點都不怪他嗎？

Guānyú àimāo de sǐ, nǐ yìdiǎn dōu bú guài tā ma?

You don’t blame him at all for the death of your beloved cat?

3 這本書是不是關於王先生？

Zhè běn shū shìbúshì guānyú Wáng xiānshēng?

Is this book about Mr. Wang?

4 是不是關於愛貓的死，你一點都不怪他？

Shìbúshì guānyú àimāo de sǐ, nǐ yìdiǎn dōu bú guài tā?

Is it the case that regarding your beloved cat’s death, you don’t hold him to blame at all?

 

Usage Unlike 對於, 關於 is commonly used in daily speech.