B1 Intermediate Sentence Structure

How to Say “About” with 关于 (guānyú)

关于 (guānyú) means “about / concerning,” and it works two ways. As a topic-marker it fronts the sentence: 关于这件事，我不太清楚 (“as for this matter, I'm not sure”). As a noun-modifier it goes 关于…的 + noun, before the noun: 一本关于历史的书 (“a book about history”). And after verbs like 聊 / 讨论 that already mean “talk/discuss about,” you add no 关于 at all.

Why this trips learners up

关于 (guānyú) means “about / concerning / regarding,” and it has two main slots. The first is as a topic-marker at the very front of a sentence: 关于 + topic ，then your comment. 关于这件事，我不太清楚 (“as for this matter, I'm not too sure”), 关于明天的安排，我待会发给你 (“as for tomorrow's plan, I'll send it to you shortly”). It raises a subject up front so you can comment on it, and in this use it can only sit at the start of the sentence.

The second slot is as a noun-modifier: 关于… + 的 + Noun. Here is the catch for English speakers: the “about” phrase goes before the noun, not after. English says “a book about history” (after); Chinese says 一本关于历史的书, literally “an about-history book.” 一部关于太空的纪录片 (“a documentary about space”), 很多关于气候变化的报道 (“lots of reports about climate change”). This modifier always needs 的.

The big trap is the “unspoken about.” In English, “about” trails verbs like talk, ask and discuss; in Chinese that meaning is already baked into the verb, so you add no 关于. 聊 is “chat about,” 谈 / 讨论 is “discuss,” 问 is “ask about.” So it's 我们聊聊你的工作 (“let's talk about your work”), 我们讨论这个问题 (“let's discuss this question”), never 聊关于… or 讨论关于…. It's the same reason English doesn't say “discuss about.”

One more useful neighbour: 对于 (duìyú) also translates as “regarding,” but it leans toward an attitude or stance toward something (对于这件事，我很生气, “I'm angry about this”), while 关于 is more neutral, just naming the topic. When you simply want to raise a subject, 关于 is the safe choice.

The structure

关于 guānyú ObjectOther

Colour key

Each colour marks one grammatical role — and the same colour means the same role on every page in the Lab.

Pattern Subject Verb Object Time Negation Adverb Function word Measure word Other

Examples in context

Real-world sentences, easiest first. Toggle pinyin or the translation, tap any word to see its role, or play the audio.

Tap a word to see its grammatical role.

guānyú 关于 Pattern zhège jìhuà 这个计划 Object wǒ ，我 Subject yǒu 有 Verb jǐ gè xiǎngfǎ 几个想法 Object

As for this plan, I have a few ideas (关于 fronts the topic).

zhè shì 这是 Verb yì běn 一本 Measure word guānyú 关于 Pattern lìshǐ 历史 Object de 的 Other shū 书 Object

This is a book about history (关于…的 before the noun).

guānyú 关于 Pattern tā lízhí de yuányīn 他离职的原因 Object gōngsī ，公司 Subject méiyǒu 没有 Negation shuōmíng 说明 Verb

As for the reason he resigned, the company didn't explain (topic, with a nested 的 phrase).

wǒ 我 Subject dú 读 Verb guo 过 Function word jǐ piān 几篇 Measure word guānyú 关于 Pattern qìhòu biànhuà 气候变化 Object de 的 Other bàodào 报道 Object

I've read a few reports about climate change (关于…的 modifier).

guānyú 关于 Pattern míngtiān de ānpái 明天的安排 Object wǒ ，我 Subject dāihuì 待会 Time fā gěi nǐ 发给你 Verb

As for tomorrow's arrangements, I'll send them to you in a bit (topic).

lǎoshī 老师 Subject tuījiàn 推荐 Verb le 了 Function word yí bù 一部 Measure word guānyú 关于 Pattern tàikōng 太空 Object de 的 Other jìlùpiàn 纪录片 Object

The teacher recommended a documentary about space (关于…的 modifier).

wǒmen 我们 Subject jīntiān 今天 Time lái 来 Verb liáoliao 聊聊 Verb nǐ de lǚxíng jìhuà 你的旅行计划 Object

Let's have a chat about your travel plans today (聊 already means “talk about,” so no 关于).

guānyú 关于 Pattern zhè cì hézuò de jùtǐ xìjié 这次合作的具体细节 Object shuāngfāng ，双方 Subject hái 还 Adverb xūyào 需要 Function word jìnyíbù 进一步 Adverb tǎolùn 讨论 Verb

As for the specific details of this collaboration, both sides still need to discuss it further (topic; 讨论 also carries “about,” no 关于).

Common mistakes

Avoid: 我有一本书关于历史。 wǒ yǒu yì běn shū guānyú lìshǐ.

Say this: 我有一本关于历史的书。 wǒ yǒu yì běn guānyú lìshǐ de shū.

Why it happens: The 关于…的 modifier goes before the noun, not after as in English. “A book about history” is 一本关于历史的书 (an about-history book), not 一本书关于历史. The whole 关于… phrase, plus 的, sits in front of the noun.

Avoid: 我们讨论关于这个问题。 wǒmen tǎolùn guānyú zhège wèntí.

Say this: 我们讨论这个问题。 wǒmen tǎolùn zhège wèntí.

Why it happens: Verbs like 聊, 谈, 讨论 and 问 already mean “talk / ask / discuss about,” so adding 关于 is like saying “discuss about.” It's 我们讨论这个问题, not 我们讨论关于这个问题. Drop the 关于 after these verbs.

Avoid: 我关于这件事不太清楚。 wǒ guānyú zhè jiàn shì bù tài qīngchu.

Say this: 关于这件事，我不太清楚。 guānyú zhè jiàn shì, wǒ bù tài qīngchu.

Why it happens: As a topic-marker, 关于 only goes at the very front of the sentence, not in the middle. “As for this matter, I'm not sure” is 关于这件事，我不太清楚, not 我关于这件事不太清楚. (Mid-sentence “regarding” is usually 对.)

Compare & contrast

关于 + topic ，… (fronts a topic)	关于…的 + noun (modifies a noun)	The difference
关于这个问题，我有不同的看法guānyú zhège wèntí, wǒ yǒu bùtóng de kànfǎ	一篇关于这个问题的报道yì piān guānyú zhège wèntí de bàodào	关于这个问题，我有不同的看法 fronts the topic: “as for this question, I see it differently.” 一篇关于这个问题的报道 folds it into a noun phrase: “a report about this question.” Same topic, two slots.
关于环保，他研究了很多年guānyú huánbǎo, tā yánjiū le hěn duō nián	他写过很多关于环保的文章tā xiě guo hěn duō guānyú huánbǎo de wénzhāng	关于环保，他研究了很多年 raises 环保 as the topic at the front. 他写过很多关于环保的文章 puts 关于…的 before the noun 文章. One opens the sentence; the other describes a noun.

Rule of thumb关于 has two slots. To raise a topic, front it: 关于 + topic ，then your comment (关于这件事，我不太清楚). To describe a noun, put 关于…的 right before the noun, not after as in English (一本关于历史的书 = “a book about history”). The modifier always needs 的, and the topic 关于 only ever goes at the very front.

Try it yourself

Say “This is a book about history.” Put 关于…的 before the noun, not after.

Related patterns

Quick reference card

How to Say “About” with 关于 (guānyú) grammar.merrymandarin.com

A pocket summary — print it and keep it by your desk.

Structure

关于 + Object + Other

Example

关于这个计划，我有几个想法

As for this plan, I have a few ideas (关于 fronts the topic).

Watch out

✗ 我有一本书关于历史。 → ✓ 我有一本关于历史的书。