(たいおう)

たいおう
noun
response, correspondence
1. response, dealing with
The way something or someone is dealt with or handled.
Please respond promptly.
We need to deal with this problem.
I responded politely to the customer's complaint.
2. correspondence, compatibility
A matching or compatible relationship between things.
このソフトMac対応(たいおう)しています
Is this software compatible with Mac?
Compatibility sense
This phone supports Japanese and English.
Everyone attended training in order to adapt to the new system.

対応(たいおう) has two main uses: responding to or dealing with a situation (sense 1), and compatibility or correspondence between things (sense 2). It functions as both a noun and a する verb.

SENSE 1 PATTERNS (response):

  • ~に対応(たいおう)する: to deal with ~, to respond to ~
  • 対応(たいおう)(はや)い/(おそ)い: quick/slow response
  • 対応(たいおう)()い/(わる)い: good/poor handling
  • 緊急(きんきゅう)対応(たいおう): emergency response

SENSE 2 PATTERNS (compatibility):

  • ~に対応(たいおう)している: to be compatible with ~, to support ~
  • 対応(たいおう)可能(かのう): compatible, supported
  • 対応(たいおう)機種(きしゅ): supported devices

USAGE:
Sense 2 is especially common in technology contexts: ソフトがMacに対応(たいおう)している (the software supports Mac). Sense 1 is common in customer service and business: 苦情(くじょう)対応(たいおう)する (to handle a complaint).