2216
_There were a lot of great answers here. I gave the checkmark to ento's answer
because I felt it most completely explained all aspects of this use of こと. But
many of the other answers are excellent, so if you're visiting this question
for the first time, please take a few moments to read through all answers.
Thanks to everyone for your help with this question._

* * *

When learning the phrase "I like X", everyone learns "Xが好きだ". But if X is a
pronoun, you sometimes see こと:

> あなたが好きだ。 → あなたの **こと** が好きだ。

**What purpose does こと serve here?** I know that in subordinate clauses, こと
can eliminate ambiguity:

> 彼が好きな人 "a person he likes" _or_ "a person who likes him"
>
> 彼の **こと** が好きな人 "a person who likes him"

But in a simple statement such as the first example above, it doesn't seem to
change the meaning at all.

My own searches on this problem have yielded the following two theories
(neither with anything to back them up):

  1. こと adds a layer of indirectness, and is therefore preferred from a Japanese standpoint.
  2. こと encompasses more of the object ("you" versus "all the things about you")

**Is either of these correct?**

こと also shows up in many other situations, seemingly without any effect on the
meaning:

> 事件を覚えている。 → 事件の **こと** を覚えている。 I remember the incident.
>
> 地球を考えて行動する → 地球の **こと** を考えて行動する take action while considering the ~~Earth~~
> planet _(edited to "the planet" to fulfill the requirement for 考える to be
> paired with something abstract)_

**What's going on here?**
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-21T13:02:35.843
2102
2016-07-10T20:56:45.123
2020-06-17T08:18:27.500
-1
94
question
grammar word-choice nuances formal-nouns
What is the こと in sentences such as あなたのことが好きだ?
I wasn't entire sure, so I asked one of my language partners, who speaks
Japanese natively. Her answer:

"Both are same,[sic] and there are no differences between them. Howerver,[sic]
for me あなたのことが好きだ sounds more natural!"

So there you have it.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-21T16:14:42.547
2104
2011-07-21T16:14:42.547
393
2102
answer
Unless someone comes up with a stunning counter proposal, I am firmly in the
camp that says `こと` refers to "all the things about [you or whatever
subject]."

In my personal interactions, I can viscerally feel a difference between saying
`「あなたが好き」` and `「あなたのことが好き」`.

It's a similar distinction as in English between "I love you," and, "I'm in
love with you." In one we are referring to what we conceive of as the person,
and in the other we are speaking about our bond that exists because of the
relationship. However, you can see that the distinction is subtle and could
lead to many lover's quarrels over the distincion.

`「あなたが好き」` is all about relating my feelings for the person directly.

「`あなたのことが好き」` is all about relating to the qualities of that person that they
share with me.

Taking the concept further, in light of some interesting conversation and in
line with Enno's answer, `こと` is not _merely_ "all the things about [you or
whatever subject]." Its presence lets you know that the subject has dimension,
or quality. _("Quality" in the neutral sense of having appreciable substance,
not in the sense of high value.)_

A person, for example, has `こと`, because each individual is a universe of
variable traits.

A slice of bread, however, is just a slice of bread. It has no `こと`... unless,
I suppose, you were some gastronomical baking enthusiast who wanted to convey
the depth of your appreciation for all that bread is.

Hope that helps.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-21T16:27:47.660
2106
2011-07-22T14:21:45.970
2011-07-22T14:21:45.970
119
119
2102
answer
My explanation is (along the lines of Dave's explanation) that

> `のこと` will add the meaning 'things about', and that will include some
> propositions/concerns.

With `考える` 'think', the difference is salient. As Tsuyoshi Ito points out,
`地球を考えて行動する` is ungrammatical to me. I feel that the object of the verb `考える`
has to be something like proposition, question, prediction, restriction,
prohibition, or allowance, but not simply an object. `のこと` will add the
meaning: 'things about', and that will include some propositions/concerns. So,
whereas `地球` is just an object, which cannot be the object of `考える`, `地球のこと`
means 'concerns about the earth', which can be the object of `考える`. One
example that I can think of when `考える` takes an object without `のこと` is in
constant/variable settings in mathematics.

> 半径 r の円 C を考える  
>  '(Let us) consider circle C of radius r.'

Probably, what is the object of `考える` is acutally not 'the circle C', but 'the
existence of the circle C', something like:

> 半径 r の円 C の存在を考える  
>  'to consider the existence of the circle C of radius r'

And indeed, if you replace the object with an intangible thing like `環境` as
Derek suggests, the sentence improves.

> 地球の環境を考えて行動する

In this case too, `環境` is interpreted as a proposition/concern related to the
environment.

With `覚えている`, I see a subtle difference depending on whether you attach `のこと`.

> 事件を覚えている

will mean that you remember there was such incident, but may not know anything
further about it.

> 事件のことを覚えている

will mean that you remember some facts related to the incident.

With `好き`, I think there should be a difference that parallels the difference
seen above, for example, 'liking you' vs. 'liking the facts about you'. But to
be honest, the difference is too subtle and I cannot feel it.

You give an interesting restriction regarding the distribution of `...のこと`,
which I was not aware of. In the example:

> 彼が好きな人

`彼が` can be interpreted either as the subject or the object of 'liking' within
the relative clause `彼が好きな`, and hence the ambiguity arises. Now, since the
subject but not the object of liking has to be animate, it would be predicted
that you can add `のこと` to the object but not to the subject because a
propositional-like thing cannot be animate. And that is where the disambiguity
that you point out comes from:

> 彼のことが好きな人

In the sentence above, `彼のこと` can only be the object.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-21T19:02:56.427
2108
2011-07-22T05:09:03.487
2011-07-22T05:09:03.487
2102
answer
So I talked to my co-workers here, and 4 of us (Japanese native) discussed
this for a good 30 minutes! lol

Our conclusion is that the difference is very subtle and each of us had a
slightly different explanation. The most common ground was that こと somewhat
"directs" more attention (or maybe "creates more focus") on the subject.

We also found some examples in which "こと" will definitely sound odd:

>   * パンが好き
>   * パンのことが好き
>

The second example sounds definitely odd. Our conclusion was that パン is not a
unique entity and thus isn't suited to focus on. On the other hand, a unique
person, the earth etc. would be fine.  
  

>   * 動物のことが好き
>   * 犬のことが好き
>

Here, both sound odd, but much better than "パンのことが好き" (Somehow. Perhaps it has
something with the fact that animals are more animate than bread?)  
  

>   * Fluffyのことが好き  
>  (Fluffy is the name of the speaker's dog)
>

This sounds ok.  
  
Obviously these are only some amateur observations though.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-22T02:23:21.253
2110
2011-07-22T02:23:21.253
499
2102
answer
I've let my subconscious sleep on this for a while, which has a native
Japanese language processor built in, and come to the conclusion that のこと does
two seemingly opposite things. I'll illustrate them with my inner images for
[noun] and [noun]のこと, and later quote a dictionary to further support my
views.

Let's take 事件のこと as an example.

A plain **" 事件"** is a simple dot...

![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/qZRrF.png)

add a little blur/halo around the dot and arrows going toward it and you get
**" 事件のこと"**:

![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/onjoA.png)

The little blur/halo adds a "universe of variable traits" (quote from Dave M
G's answer) around the subject noun and lifts it to an abstract level (because
traits are abstract things).

This "abstracting" aspect becomes apparent when the ensuing verb is about a
physical action:

> あなたを抱きしめたい。 I want to hug you.
>
> あなたのことを抱きしめたい。 I want to hug all the things that is you. (figuratively)

パンのことが好き, is just fine in this light, if it's meant to be "I like everything
about breads," and not "I like to eat breads."

Now to the arrows. I'd like to call these the "focusing" feature of "のこと" (as
mentioned in Enno's answer). The "focusing" aspect can be seen clearly when
the ensuing verb has directivity in itself.

> 人を見下す。 Look down on someone.
>
> 人のことを見下す。Look down on at someone. (I know it's incorrect, but I hope the
> spirit gets through.)

With the latter example, there's a bit more emphasis on the action of looking
down.

At this point, I took up the dictionary and looked if it has anything to say
about it. And these two definitions from
[Daijirin](http://www.excite.co.jp/dictionary/japanese/?search=%E3%81%93%E3%81%A8&match=beginswith&itemid=07359800)
match up with my observation:

  * "abstracting": (2)(ア) ある物事に関連する事柄。 Things related to a particular thing.
  * "focusing": (2)(イ) ある人物が動作・心情の対象であることを示す。 Indicates a person is the object of an action/emotion.

The dictionary makes it seem like these two are mutually exclusive, but I
think the two aspects of ..のこと can manifest themselves at the same time, or
with one of them more stressed than the other, depending on the
abstractedness/directivity/etc. of the verb/noun used in conjunction.

So in summary, のこと in あなたのことが好き serves two purposes: abstracting and focusing.

As for the two theories, `theory 2. "こと encompasses more of the object"`
corresponds to the "abstracting" aspect of こと, which I deem true. `Theory 1.
"こと adds a layer of indirectness"` is also true, because speaking abstractly
means indirectness. However, I'm not sure if it's universally "preferred from
a Japanese standpoint", perhaps except in the case of expressing emotion
(あなたが好きだ!), it's well conceivable that a reserved mode of expression can be
preferred by some.

I'll leave the analysis of 地球を考える and 事件を覚えている to sawa's answer =)
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-26T15:30:22.133
2216
2015-03-31T00:00:24.740
2020-06-17T08:18:27.500
-1
128
2102
answer
> 事件を覚えている。 → 事件のことを覚えている。
>
> 地球を考えて行動する → 地球のことを考えて行動する

What I feel by reading those two is the difference in span, intention, causes
or effects. Adding "のこと" extends the proposition's target to contain also
things that are related. I think it is similar in concept to what we have with
について/に関して where に関して also considers related, often unmentioned, elements.

事件を覚えている。 I remember the car hitting the pedestrian. It's stored somewhere in
my brain, yes.  
事件のことを覚えている。 And also the weather, the ambulances, the shivers, how everything
unfolded…

地球を考えて行動する。"it is round, isn't it? Now, let's dig a bigger hole!"  
地球のことを考えて行動する。 "But what if I cause harm to the planet, leading to the death
of all Lapp penguins? What will happen to procrastinating students who studied
them? How dare I dig a bigger hole?!"

So, by saying

> あなたが好き

All I mean it that I like your body. By saying

> あなたのことが好き

I mean that I also like your presence, your being next to me, your charm, and
so on. I like this thing that makes you different from the others. (Let's not
debate the degrees of fondness of "好き" which are irrelevant here.)
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-08-02T08:23:40.290
2389
2011-08-02T08:23:40.290
2020-06-17T08:18:27.500
-1
356
2102
answer
`のこと` just means 'something about' or 'something from'. Like: `彼のことを好き` means,
'I like something about him.' I guess if you said `が`, you could mean either
'something about him likes,' or 'something about him is liked', but because of
nuance only it's 'something about him is liked.' In a more idiomatic sense,
when you talk about your sweetheart and say, "something", it's more like "that
special something". So, when you say, `君のこと`, you're saying: "that something
special about you, sweetheart". That's why you have some people saying: "I
love everything about you," instead of, "I love something about you," when
they translate こと in conjunction with sentiments about human relationships.

The other sentences just mean: "I remember the incident," vs. "I remember some
things about the incident," and, "Take action in consideration of the planet
Earth," vs. "Take action in consideration of earthly things." In the sooner of
these two comparisons, "I remember some things about the incident," sounds
less arrogant. So, Japanese people might prefer that. In the latter of the two
comparisons, "Take action in consideration of the Planet Earth" may be
preferred because it's more slogan-like. It's like saying: "Consider that we
might lose the entire planet Earth if we don't act," versus, "We might lose
some things, here on Earth, if we don't act." The earlier sentence sounds much
stronger and, therefore, less out-of-place in this kind of discussion.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-08-02T22:50:10.807
2400
2011-08-02T22:50:10.807
544
2102
answer
**I think it's related to the culture of Yamato.**

when I was learning Japanese. my teacher told us that **Traditional Japanese
is modest,euphemism.**

for example:when the Japanese chatting with each other about the weather,or
even if the weather forecast. they often says" _あしたわ 雨が降りそです(tomorrow looks
like rain)_ " instead of "明日雨が降ります(it is going to rain tomorrow)".because of
the uncertainty,couldn't guarantee to make sure that tomorrow it will be rain.

another example:" _愛してる(loving)_ ". they will never say" _私はあなたを愛しる(I love
you)_ "in common.

so as _彼のことを好き._ use " _彼のこと(something about him/her)_ " instead of "
_彼(him/her)_ " sounds more euphemistic,smooth and natural. just like William
said.in my opinion " _**XX** のこと_" of this topic is just a substitute of "
_**XX** _", and dose not have the real meaning.

I'm pretty new for both English and Japanese.hope you all could understand.and
also hope it's helpful.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-08-03T09:03:28.943
2410
2011-08-04T02:43:34.610
2011-08-04T02:43:34.610
577
577
2102
answer
Please allow me to address practicality. Colloquially, we use ～の事 often. It
makes a good padding in conversation and it sounds natural. I dunno what
others think, but, in writing, I find using ～の事 frequently makes you sound a
little inarticulate. As we can overuse the term, if you write like how you
speak, you could be littering with the terms in your letters, email,
documents, making them look rather messy. I advise using ～の事 in writing when
you think it addresses your point better by deploying it. Read newspapers,
blogs, business documents, etc. you can see this very clearly.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-05T08:22:49.997
18123
2014-08-05T08:22:49.997
6963
2102
answer