のに can also mean "in the process of doing something" or "in order to do something."

接続：動詞現在形＋のに　例え：飲むのに

It seems to be only with verbs of volition.

Ah, sorry maybe I'm saying it wrong. I simply meant an act that was done with intention, such as eating, drinking, speaking etc. The verb form for this is just the standard dictionary form.

Further info: this can only be used with the non-past dictionary form.

About that transitive idea, I'm not totally sure. For most of the examples the verb is manipulating a direct object using を but a couple leave it out. I guess I don't completely understand this grammar point, sorry.

I think the grammar pattern fareastfurfaro is referring to is when you have to nominalize a verb using の then using に with a verb or adjective that requires such a particle.
For example,

Japanese: このスプーンはアブサンを作るのにちょうど良い。
English: This spoon is perfect for making absinthe.

I'm not quite sure what the two of you are talking about. Could you please provide an example sentence or two?

I wouldn't worry about it, 勝利. We're just discussing the meaning of the word volition. Your sentence is a perfect example of the grammar point. However, in the grammar dictionary that I consulted to confirm what furfaro was saying, it had very similar sentences along with a note underneath it saying 'only non-past, dictionary, volitional verbs can be used in this fashion'. Since most studiers of Japanese associate 'volitional' with the よう form of the verb, we were trying to figure out what 'volitional' meant when referring to verbs in a sentence like yours.

You have to parse the sentence as お茶をいれるの + に - the girl was busy with the act of making tea. のに meaning "although" definitely outnumbers instances of の + に in terms of frequency of usage, but the other pattern isn't uncommon either, so it's good to keep in the back of your mind. Here's another similar example: 問題を解くのに時間が掛かった - literally, "It took time in solving the problem," or "Solving the problem took time."

I found a good example: レポートを書くのに四苦八苦した。(I had a very hard time writing the report.)

Sorry, my computer doesn't have the proper language pack at the moment therefore I cannot write in proper Japanese but here is the way noni works, basing myself from the begginer dictionary for Japanese grammar and Kodansha dictionary of Japanese particle. First and foremost, you'll be creating nominalized sentences using noni. In front of an adjective-noun it will be na noni, datta.Often Noni means although or Even though. At the end of a spoken sentence, it express discontent. The other way to see noni is ''in the process of doing'' ''for the purpose of'' Taberu noni would be ''in order to eat...''or Boku wa nihongo no shimbun wo yomu noni jisho wo tsukau ''I use a dictionary in order to read a japanese newspaper'' When it comes to Verbs of motion, noni sets a precedent where no time was wasted. Finally it can indicate a mean or material with which X can be accomplished such as ''kono hako hon wo ireru noni choodo ii ne'' This box is perfect for putting the box in isnt it. noni rep. ''for''

On the grammar pages, we request that only originals made by users are added. We may or may not have permission from ones written on other sites, so we need to be careful with those!

I'm sorry... but that wasn't what I meant. That sentence doesn't fit into any categories in this page. It's neither 'even though' nor 'in order to', it's 'when', with some kind of comparison. Shouldn't you add other category for this grammar pattern?

You sure about it? That doesn't seem right to me.

皆が働いているのに，どうして遊びに行ける？
How can I go and have fun when everybody else is working?

Please refer to the original page. There, its meaning is associated to "...とくらべ", but it sounds more like 'while' and 'when'.

Another example,

次々に仲間が倒れられているのに、落ち着いてはいられるかよ！

1) How can I be composed while my comrades being beaten one by one!

2) Don't you ever think that I can settle down when my comrades being beaten one by one!

2) Do you think I can calm down even though my comrades being beaten one by one!?

What do you think?

No need to apologize, really. ^_^ I just want to discuss and know exactly what do you think about it. But thanks for the 'gift', I will try to put it into use.

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Well, I'm not sure which is right or wrong, but this my understanding based on what is written in the original page.

皆が働いているのに，どうして遊びに行ける？

This expression is kind of idiomatic, so it will hardly makes sense if we translate it literally. We have to put it in another words.

「皆が働いているのに、」

Everybody else is working(, so)

「どうして遊びに行ける？」- doesn't mean an ability, but possibility.

How can I go and have fun (leaving them, instead of it I should help them, right?)

Meanwhile,

"Even though everybody else is working, how can I (be able to or possible) go?" - this translation doesn't make sense, in any way.

In short, the sentence means,

"Everyone is working, so its obvious that I cannot leave them and have fun for myself." - it's an opposing statement

For instance, perhaps someone told you "Can you just leave?"

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The のに was translated to 'while' or 'when' because they are the close in meaning and fit. It also a kind of comparison between two contradict events, working' and 'playing', which is the reason it is associated to と比べ.

I've tried to make my own sentence based on this (in my previous comment) to make it more evident. The third translation felt a bit off to me, though.

次々に仲間が倒れられているのに、落ち着いてはいられるかよ！

So if we were put this expression into the first definition, wouldn't it be wrong? The nuance is different and we can't translate it as 'even though' either.

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One note is that 大辞泉 cannot be wrong, even if there is any, it can't be significant.

Seems better. Just one more thing, if there is no need to add another category, shouldn't additional (advanced usage) explanation be added instead? Since this usage need specific context, i.e. opposing statement toward something else.

Based on what I understood from 大辞泉, the general usage always imply either surprise feeling or complaint. On the other hand, the aforementioned usage is more like opposing statement, rather than complaint. If we don't include the explanation, no one will aware about this specific usage.

I have a quick question. I'm reading a book and a character poutily exclaims: もう一年早く生まれてたら同学年だったのに

Is this probably falling under "often used to mark a complaint or negative viewpoint about a situation," or might I be missing something? For more context, her friends are both a grade higher so she missed out on spending an extra year with them in their current school.

the example sentence under のに 2 seems wrong:
私は兄達が遊びに行くのに何時もくっ付いて行った。
I always went along with my older brothers to play.
should be removed, unless I'm mistaken

I wonder if the second definition should not just be expanded a bit to show that. All that is *really* happening is not のに, but の (nominalizing the verb phrase before it) and に the particle. That would better cover the usage already in there, since instead of "in order to", it would be "when X is done", Y (which would include listing something necessary for doing X)

I can handle it from here, thanks! In the future, you can:

1. Tap the ? mark at the top of the app/site, then file a quiz report from there. That's the easiest way to get the data to me to fix it!