关于 + Topic
Reach for this when you want to say 'about' or 'regarding' a topic — books about history, news about sports, a discussion about money. 关于 is a preposition that introduces what something is on the subject of. It typically modifies a noun ('a book about X') or opens a clause ('regarding X, …'). It's slightly more formal than English 'about' but completely standard in news, articles, conversation, and titles.
Structure
关于 [TOPIC] (的) [NOUN] / 关于 [TOPIC]，[CLAUSE]
guānyú...
How to Think About It
关于 has two natural homes. One: it sits right before the noun it modifies and usually wears 的 — '一本关于中国的书' (a book about China). Two: it opens a sentence as a topic-marker — '关于这件事，我有不同的看法' (about this matter, I have a different view). The key trick is that 关于 introduces a TOPIC, not a target — it doesn't say what's affected, only what's discussed. If you want effect or attitude, use 对.
Examples
这是一本关于中国历史的书。
Zhè shì yì běn guānyú Zhōngguó lìshǐ de shū.
This is a book about Chinese history.
关于这件事，我想再想一想。
Guānyú zhè jiàn shì, wǒ xiǎng zài xiǎng yi xiǎng.
About this matter, I want to think it over again.
他在网上看了一篇关于咖啡的文章。
Tā zài wǎng shàng kàn le yì piān guānyú kāfēi de wénzhāng.
He read an article about coffee online.
Common Mistake
Learners use 关于 the way English uses 'about' after a verb like 'talk' or 'think' — 我想关于你. In Chinese, 关于 doesn't follow a verb directly; that slot wants 想 (no preposition needed) or 谈论 + object, with 关于 only appearing inside a noun phrase or at the start of a topic clause.
我想关于你。
我想你。 / 关于你的事，我想了很多。
Don't Confuse With
对 + Object
对 marks the target of an attitude or effect ('对我有好处' = 'is good for me'). 关于 marks the topic of discussion. 'A book about him' = 关于他的书; 'good for him' = 对他好。
对于 + Topic
Very close to 关于, but 对于 leans toward 'as for, with respect to' — used when introducing someone's stance on a topic. 关于 is broader and more neutral; 对于 specifically frames an opinion or attitude.
至于 + Topic
'As for X, …' — used to shift to a new sub-topic in the middle of a discussion, often after you've finished talking about something else. 关于 simply names the topic without that 'moving on' feeling.
Practice
这是一本 ___ 中国的书。
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关于
关于这个问题，我有自己的 ___。
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看法
Put in order: [关于 / 一篇 / 文章 / 这是 / 音乐 / 的]
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这是一篇关于音乐的文章。
Translate to Chinese: 'I read a piece of news about him.'
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我看了一条关于他的新闻。
Write one sentence using 关于 to describe a book, article, or video you recently encountered.
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Example answer: 我最近看了一部关于太空旅行的电影。 (I recently watched a movie about space travel.)
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode:
Related Grammar Patterns
Acquire by listening
Hear 关于 + Topic in real Chinese, not in a textbook.
Fluentide picks the next news episode at your level, so this pattern shows up again and again in real context. The transcript marks it, the audio drills it. Free to start, no card.