JLPT N1Written, formalOfficial

に則のっとって・に則のっとりin accordance with (a rule)

A law, a rule or a tradition lays down how something is done, and it is done that way. By the book.

個こ人じん情じょう報ほう保ほ護ご法ほうに則のっとって、収しゅう集しゅうしたデータを適てき切せつに管かん理りします。

We manage the collected data appropriately in accordance with the Personal Information Protection Act.

Before an action

Noun + に則って／に則り

Read のっとって, and often written that way, in hiragana. に則のっとり is the stiffer of the two.

Before a noun

Noun + に則った + noun

Before it: A rule or model with standing: 法ほう律りつ, 規き則そく, ルール, 基き準じゅん, 原げん則そく, 伝でん統とう, 慣かん例れい, 先せん例れい.
After it: Something carried out: 行おこなう, 処しょ理りする, 判はん断だんする, 管かん理りする.
Tone: Official. It tells you things are being done properly.
Where you'll meet it: Privacy policies, company rules, statements from companies and government, news. And at school sports days, in the athletes' oath.
In everyday speech: People say ルールに従したがって or ルールどおりに.

In use

我われ々われ選せん手しゅ一いち同どうは、スポーツマンシップにのっとり、正せい々せい堂どう々どうと戦たたかうことを誓ちかいます。

We, the athletes, pledge to compete fair and square, in keeping with sportsmanship.

The athletes' oath. In hiragana here, as it often is.

当とう社しゃの慣かん例れいに則のっとり、退たい任にんする会かい長ちょうに記き念ねん品ひんを贈ぞう呈ていした。

In keeping with company custom, a commemorative gift was presented to the retiring chairperson.

古ふるくからの慣かん習しゅうに則のっとった式しき典てんが執とり行おこなわれた。

A ceremony conforming to long-established custom was held.

The rule has to have standing

It goes with laws, regulations, traditions and principles. With a recipe or a friend's advice, it sounds like an official report.

Sounds odd: レシピに則のっとってカレーを作つくった。

I made curry in accordance with the recipe.

People say レシピどおりに作つくった or レシピに従したがって作つくった.

Close neighbours

に基づいてN2

What comes before is the ground you build on. That can be a law, but it can also be data, facts or experience, where に則のっとって can't go.

委い員いん会かいは、提てい出しゅつされた証しょう拠こに基もとづいて事じ故この原げん因いんを特とく定ていした。

The committee identified the cause of the accident based on the evidence submitted.

に沿ってN2

Looser. You stay in line with a plan, a policy or someone's wishes.

計けい画かくに沿そって調ちょう査さを進すすめます。

We will carry out the survey in line with the plan.

に即してN1

What you fit is how things really are: 実じつ情じょう, 現げん実じつ, 実じっ態たい.

地ち域いきの実じつ情じょうに即そくして、防ぼう災さい計けい画かくを改かい定ていした。

The disaster-preparedness plan was revised to fit actual local conditions.

に準じゅんじて・に準じゅんずるN1

Something is handled by a rule that was written for something else. Here the rules were written for other tournaments, and this one took them as its model.

大たい会かいは国こく際さいルールに準じゅんじて行おこなわれた。

The tournament was run on the lines of the international rules.

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

調ちょう査さの結けっ果か（　　）、来らい年ねんの計けい画かくを立たてた。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which sentence sounds natural?

Choose an answer to see why.

3How is 則って read?

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

You will also see に則そくして. It is read そくして and means much the same.

More sentences

製せい品ひんは国こく際さい基き準じゅんに則のっとって検けん査さされた。

The product was inspected in accordance with international standards.

社しゃ内ない規き程ていに則のっとり、申しん請せい書しょを人じん事じ部ぶへ提てい出しゅつしてください。

Please submit the application form to the human resources department in accordance with company regulations.

委い員いん会かいは過か去この先せん例れいに則のっとり、非ひ公こう開かいで審しん議ぎを進すすめた。

Following past precedent, the committee conducted its deliberations behind closed doors.

公こう正せいの原げん則そくに則のっとった審しん査さ制せい度どを構こう築ちくする必ひつ要ようがある。

It is necessary to establish a review system that conforms to the principle of fairness.

国くにの防ぼう災さい基き準じゅんに則のっとって、防ぼう災さい計けい画かくを改かい定ていした。

The disaster-preparedness plan was revised in accordance with the national standards for disaster preparedness.

Compared with similar forms

"According to", "in line with", "in accordance with"