“〜wo aite ni・aite ni”: With 〜 as One's Opponent / Target [JLPT N3]
By Nihongo to Japan · Updated July 3, 2026
Taking someone as the target of competition, negotiation, or service
“〜wo aite ni・aite ni”: With 〜 as One's Opponent / Counterpart
「noun ＋ を相手に（して）」 means “interacting with someone as your opponent, counterpart, or customer” — “taking 〜 as your opponent/target.” E.g. 「世界の強豪を相手に、堂々と戦った」 (fought proudly against the world's best). The “other party” can be an opponent (a match), a customer (business), or someone you negotiate/deal with.
🧠 Core nuance: setting someone as “the other side of the interaction”
The core is doing something facing/aimed at a counterpart: there's back-and-forth between you and them — fighting (戦う), doing business (商売), playing with (遊ぶ), suing (訴える). 相手 (あいて) means “the other party/opponent,” and を相手に places that person/group as the other end of your action, often with a sense of “facing a (strong/numerous) counterpart.”
📌 How to Connect
| Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| noun ＋ を相手に | noun ＋ を相手に | 強豪を相手に戦う |
| を相手にして | して can be added | 子供を相手にして遊ぶ |
| 相手に (colloquial) | direct 相手に | 観光客相手に商売 |
💬 Example Sentences
- 彼は世界の強豪を相手に、堂々と戦った。(He fought proudly against the world's best.) — competition
- この店は観光客を相手に商売をしている。(This shop does business with tourists.) — clientele
- 子供を相手にサッカーをするのは楽しい。(Playing soccer with kids is fun.) — interaction
- 大企業を相手に裁判を起こした。(He filed a lawsuit against a big company.) — negotiation/confrontation
- 彼は誰を相手にしても物おじしない。(He's never intimidated, no matter who he faces.)
🔄 Compare: を相手に vs に対して vs を相手にしない vs を対象に
| Expression | Nuance | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜を相手に | with 〜 as opponent/counterpart (compete, negotiate, serve) | 強豪を相手に戦う |
| 〜に対して | “toward 〜” (attitude/action aimed at, broader) | 質問に対して答える |
| 〜を相手にしない | “ignore 〜 / not deal with” | 子供のいたずらを相手にしない |
| 〜を対象に | “targeting 〜” (scope of a survey/event) | 学生を対象に調査 |
⚠️ Common Mistakes
- Using が: ✗ 強豪が相手に → ✓ 強豪を相手に (を).
- Modifying a noun: use を相手にした/にする ＋ noun, not を相手にの.
- Preceding it with a non-noun: a noun must come before を相手に.
- The meaning of 相手にしない: を相手にしない means “ignore / not take seriously” — don't confuse it with を相手に (“take as opponent”).
💡 Nuance & When to Use
を相手に describes doing something with someone as your opponent/counterpart — sports matches, business, lawsuits, playing along — often with the tension of “facing a strong or numerous party.” Used in both speech and writing. Keep it distinct from を対象に (target group) and を相手にしない (ignore) to precisely express your interaction with a counterpart. A must at N3.
🎯 JLPT Exam Tips
- High-frequency N3: noun ＋ を相手に(して) = with 〜 as opponent/counterpart.
- Particle: fixed as を, preceded by a noun.
- Distinction: を相手に (interactive opponent) vs を対象に (target group) vs を相手にしない (ignore).
🖊️ 練習題（5題）
Q1. 「彼は世界の強豪___、堂々と戦った。」（以世界強敵為對手）
(A) を相手に (B) のために (C) によって (D) について
Q2. 「を相手に」の前に来るのは?
(A) 名詞 (B) 動詞て形 (C) い形容詞 (D) 疑問詞
Q3. 「子供を相手にサッカーをする」の意味は?
(A) 以孩子為對象（對手）踢足球
(B) 為了孩子
(C) 因為孩子
(D) 關於孩子
Q4. 「を相手に」の語感は?
(A) 以〜為對象・對手（互動・對抗）
(B) 因為〜的恩惠
(C) 雖然〜卻
(D) 即使〜也
Q5. 接法が正しいのは?
(A) 観光客を相手に商売する。 (B) 観光客を相手にの商売。
(C) 観光客が相手に。 (D) 観光客を相手にして相手。
答案解析
1. (A) を相手に ── 以強敵為對手作戰。
2. (A) 名詞 ── 前接名詞。
3. (A) ── 以孩子為對象踢球。
4. (A) ── 以〜為對象・對手。
5. (A) ── 「名詞＋を相手に」正確。