关于
about; regarding; concerning
guānyú
What does 关于 mean?
关于 (guānyú) is a preposition that introduces a topic — 'about,' 'regarding,' or 'concerning.' Two patterns matter. First, when 关于 + topic comes at the FRONT of a sentence, it sets the topic for what follows (关于这个问题，我有几个想法 — regarding this question, I have a few ideas). Second, 关于 + topic can modify a noun directly (关于历史的书 — a book about history).
What English speakers should watch: 关于 cannot follow the verb the way 'about' often does in English. 'I want to talk about you' is 我想跟你说说 or 我想谈谈你的事, not 我想说关于你. For the verb-object 'talk about,' use 谈 / 聊 / 说 with the topic directly. Use 关于 when you're FRAMING a topic — like a heading.
Note: Slightly more formal than dropping a topic in casually with 的事 ('the matter of...'). Common in titles, books, articles, and any time you front-load a topic.
Character breakdown
involve; concern; close
at; in; with respect to (formal preposition)
Memory hook: 关 'concerning' + 于 'with respect to' — concerning, with respect to (a topic): about.
Example sentences
这是一本关于中国的书。
Zhè shì yī běn guānyú Zhōngguó de shū.
This is a book about China.
neutral
关于这个问题，我有不同的看法。
Guānyú zhège wèntí, wǒ yǒu bùtóng de kànfǎ.
Regarding this question, I have a different view.
neutral
我想了解关于你的事。
Wǒ xiǎng liǎojiě guānyú nǐ de shì.
I want to learn about you.
spoken
老师讲了一个关于历史的故事。
Lǎoshī jiǎng le yī gè guānyú lìshǐ de gùshi.
The teacher told a story about history.
neutral
Common phrases with 关于
Hear it in real Fluentide episodes
关于 appears in 2 podcast episodes at natural native speed, with full Chinese script, pinyin, and line-by-line English translation.
Synonyms
对于 means 'toward / as for' — it introduces a TARGET someone has a view or attitude about (对于这个问题，我同意 — as for this question, I agree). 关于 frames the TOPIC itself. The two often overlap, but 对于 emphasizes the speaker's stance, 关于 emphasizes the subject area.
Don't confuse 关于 with
FAQ
Related words from the same episodes
Acquire by listening
Hear 关于 in real Chinese, not in a flashcard.
Fluentide picks the next news episode at your level, so this word shows up again and again in real sentences. Pinyin, translation, and the episode where you heard it — every time. Free to start, no card.