ならう

な

ら

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Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

ならう · godan verb (-u)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	ならう	ならわない
Polite	ならいます	ならいません
Past polite	ならいました	ならいませんでした
Past	ならった	ならわなかった
Te-form	ならって	ならわないで
Desire	ならいたい	ならいたくない
Potential	ならえる	ならえない
Passive	ならわれる	ならわれない
Causative	ならわせる	ならわせない
Causative passive	ならわせられるalso ならわされる	ならわせられないalso ならわされない
Volitional	ならおう
Polite volitional	ならいましょう
Imperative	ならえ	ならうな
Conditional	ならえば	ならわなければ
Tara conditional	ならったら	ならわなかったら

Meanings

godan verb (-u), intransitive verb

imitate; follow; copy; emulate

usually written using kana alone

Used for following someone's example, method, or style. Often implies learning by imitation. Common in the pattern 〜に倣う.

先せん輩ぱいに倣ならって、毎まい朝あさジョギングを始はじめた。
Following my senior's example, I started jogging every morning.
この書しょ類るいは前ぜん例れいに倣ならって作さく成せいしてください。
Please prepare this document following the precedent.

See all 18 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉に倣ならうto follow someone's example
先せん輩ぱいに倣ならって、丁てい寧ねいな言こと葉ばを使つかうようにした。
I followed my senior's example and started using polite language.
〈事こと〉に倣ならってin accordance with, following a precedent or method
従じゅう来らいの方ほう法ほうに倣ならって作さ業ぎょうを進すすめた。
We proceeded with the work following the conventional method.
〈人ひと〉のやり方かたに倣ならうto follow someone's way of doing things
彼かれのやり方かたに倣ならって、資し料りょうを整せい理りした。
I organized the documents following his way of doing things.

Expressions

先せん例れいに倣ならうfollow precedent
前ぜん例れいに倣ならうfollow a precedent; follow the example of a previous case
顰ひそみに倣ならうto imitate foolishly; to blindly follow a bad example

Kanji

倣emulate, imitate
傚imitate, follow, emulate
慣accustomed, get used to, become experienced

Related words

真似まねるN2
真似る means to copy an action or appearance, often superficially, while 倣う implies more respectfully following an established model or precedent.
見み習ならうN2
見習う means to learn by watching and following a good example, whereas 倣う is broader and can apply to following any precedent, rule, or style.
模も倣ほうN1
模倣する is a formal, often academic word for imitating something (e.g. art, style), while 倣う is more common and often used with 先例・前例.
踏とう襲しゅう
倣う means to imitate or follow someone's example on a case-by-case basis, while 踏襲 refers to formally continuing an existing policy or precedent as an institutional practice.

Opposites

逆さからうN3
逆らう means to go against or defy someone's wishes or a rule, the opposite of 倣う's meaning of following an example.

Don't confuse with

習ならうN5
習う (same pronunciation, different kanji) means to learn or take lessons in a skill from a teacher, while 倣う means to imitate or follow an existing example or precedent.

Written forms

ならうUsage68%
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 倣う is also common but kana is preferred in modern usage.
倣ならうUsage32%
Standard kanji form; used in formal or literary contexts.
傚ならうUsage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form.
慣ならう
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form.

Etymology

The kanji 倣 is a phono-semantic compound with 人 (person) and 放 (release, let go), suggesting the idea of following after someone. The reading ならう is native Japanese. The historical derivation is uncertain.