には in this context

Question

デイブ： カナダも暖冬です。海が全部凍りません。だから、アザラシが逃げます。

恵子： まあ、かわいそうですね。シロクマは。でも、アザラシにはよかったかも！

Here is like a conversation between two people about polar bears in Canada.

What I am confused about is the use of には in the above sentence. How is the に particle used in this case? In reference to the seals? I thought には was only used when describing the existence of something in a place.

Thank you!

Answer 1

「には」 kind of means "for" here. The [三省堂]{さんせいどう} definition here says that it can mean にとっては, which is basically what's happening here.

• 「でも、アザラシにはよかったかも！」 ("But I suppose it's good for the seals [that they're going away from the polar bears]!")
• 「[君]{きみ}には[簡単]{かんたん}でも、ぼくには[難]{むずか}しい」 ("It's simple for you, but difficult for me.")