JLPT N2Written, formalNews, law, reports

に基もとづいてbased on; in accordance with

What is decided or done rests on a rule, a standard or the facts, and stays true to them: a ruling that follows the law, a finding that sticks to the evidence.

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.

法ほう律りつに基もとづいた手て続つづきで、申しん請せいを審しん査さします。

Applications are examined through a procedure based on the law.

Before an action

Noun + に基もとづいて／に基もとづき

に基もとづき is stiffer: notices and reports.

Before a noun

Noun + に基もとづく／に基もとづいた + noun

事じ実じつに基もとづく報ほう道どう, reporting that sticks to the facts.

Before it: A rule or a standard: 法ほう律りつ, 規き則そく, 基き準じゅん, 方ほう針しん, 計けい画かく. Or something established: 事じ実じつ, データ, 証しょう拠こ, 調ちょう査さの結けっ果か, 経けい験けん.
After it: A decision or an action: 判はん断だんする, 決きめる, 行おこなう, 計けい算さんする.
Where you'll meet it: News, law, contracts, reports, official notices.
In everyday speech: English uses "based on" for everyday choices too. Japanese uses で there: 値ね段だんで選えらぶ, choose by price. 値ね段だんに基もとづいて選えらぶ sounds like a report.

In use

過か去この販はん売ばいデータに基もとづき、来らい月げつの需じゅ要ようを予よ測そくします。

We will forecast next month's demand based on past sales data.

専せん門もん家かの助じょ言げんに基もとづく判はん断だんだった。

It was a decision based on expert advice.

うわさではなく、事じ実じつに基もとづいて話はなしてください。

Please speak from the facts, not from rumor.

Two kinds of "based on"

English "based on" covers both of these.

これは事じ実じつをもとにした映えい画がです。

This is a film based on real events.

Real events were the material. Names and scenes may be invented.

これは事じ実じつに基もとづいた映えい画がです。

This is a film based on real events.

The film claims to stay close to what happened.

をもとに says what something started from. に基もとづいて says what it sticks to.

With data or survey results both are said, and either is right. に基もとづいて is the more formal of the two.

Close neighbours

をもとに（して）N2

Something is the raw material, and something new is made from it.

これは実じつ話わをもとにした小しょう説せつだが、人じん物ぶつ名めいや結けつ末まつは創そう作さくである。

This novel is based on a true story, but the characters' names and the ending are invented.

に沿そってN2

"Along" a river or a road; "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.

によってN3

How something was found out or done, not what it rests on.

データ分ぶん析せきによって、売うり上あげが落おちた原げん因いんを特とく定ていした。

Through data analysis, we identified why sales had fallen.

Check yourself

1What is the writer claiming?

この記き事じは事じ実じつに基もとづいて書かかれている。

Choose an answer to see why.

2You are telling a friend how you picked a restaurant. Which sounds natural?

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

実じっ験けん結けっ果かに基もとづいて、研けん究きゅうチームは仮か説せつを修しゅう正せいした。

The research team revised its hypothesis based on the experimental results.

新あたらしい防ぼう災さい計けい画かくに基もとづいて、各かく地ち区くが避ひ難なん訓くん練れんを実じっ施しする。

Each district will hold evacuation drills under the new disaster-prevention plan.

住じゅう民みんアンケートの結けっ果かに基もとづいて、市しは新あたらしい交こう通つう計けい画かくを作さく成せいした。

The city drew up a new transportation plan based on the results of a residents' survey.

年ねん間かん計けい画かくに基もとづき、各かく事じ業ぎょうに予よ算さんを配はい分ぶんします。

The budget will be allocated to each project according to the annual plan.

Compared with similar forms

Ways to say "based on"