従したがう

し

た

が

う

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 2,000

従う · godan verb (-u)

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

Meanings

godan verb (-u), intransitive verb

obey; abide by; follow; conform to

Used for complying with rules, laws, orders, customs, or expectations. Often takes に.

交こう通つうルールに従したがって運うん転てんしてください。
Please drive following the traffic rules.
彼かれは上じょう司しの指し示じに従したがった。
He obeyed his boss's instructions.

godan verb (-u), intransitive verb

follow; accompany; go with

Used for physically following a person or going along with someone. Often takes に.

犬いぬが主しゅ人じんに従したがって歩あるいている。
The dog is walking following its owner.

godan verb (-u), intransitive verb

follow; go along

Used for following a path, river, sign, or similar guide. Often takes に.

川かわに従したがって歩あるけば駅えきに出でます。
If you walk following the river, you'll reach the station.

godan verb (-u), intransitive verb

serve; engage in

Used for serving in a role or engaging in work, often in set phrases like 仕事に従う. Somewhat formal.

彼かれは長なが年ねん、教きょう育いくの仕し事ごとに従したがってきた。
He has been engaged in educational work for many years.

See all 945 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉の指し示じに従したがうto follow someone's instructions
彼かれは上じょう司しの指し示じに従したがって作さ業ぎょうを進すすめた。
He proceeded with the work following his boss's instructions.
〈人ひと〉の後あとに従したがうto walk along behind someone, to accompany them
子こ供どもたちは先せん生せいの後あとに従したがって歩あるいた。
The children walked along following behind their teacher.
〈物もの〉に従したがって進すすむto proceed following a sign, path, or marker
矢や印じるしに従したがって進すすんでください。
Please proceed by following the arrows.
仕し事ごとに従したがうto engage in a line of work
彼かれは長なが年ねん、医い療りょうの仕し事ごとに従したがってきた。
He has been engaged in medical work for many years.
命めい令れいに従したがうto obey an order
兵へい士したちは上じょう官かんの命めい令れいに従したがった。
The soldiers obeyed their commanding officer's orders.

Expressions· 8

従したがいin accordance with; following; as
に従したがいin accordance with; according to
世よに従したがうfollow the crowd; go with the times
あるに従したがうlet things take their course; go with the flow · make do with what one has
判はん決けつに従したがうabide by the verdict; comply with the court's decision

Show 3 more

忠ちゅう告こくに従したがうfollow advice; act upon advice
慣かん習しゅうに従したがうfollow custom; conform to convention; toe the line
規き則そくに従したがうfollow the rules; observe the regulations

Kanji

従accompany, obey, submit to
随follow, though, notwithstanding
順obey, order, turn
遵abide by, follow, obey
從from, by, since
隨at the mercy of (the waves)

Related words· 20

服ふく従じゅうN1sense 1
服従する stresses submitting to authority and is more formal, while 従う is the broader everyday word for obeying rules or people.
守まもるN3sense 1
守る means to keep or observe a rule by one's own will, while 従う implies compliance with an external authority, order, or guidance.
順じゅん応のう sense 1
順応する means to adapt to circumstances or an environment, whereas 従う specifically means to comply with a rule, order, or person.
付つき従したがう sense 2
付き従う adds a nuance of loyally accompanying or attending someone, while 従う is the plainer word for going along with a person.

Show 16 more

沿そうN2
従う implies obeying or complying with orders, rules, or people, while 沿う simply means aligning with a line, policy, or expectation without a strong sense of obedience.
準じゅん拠きょ
従う is a general, everyday verb for following or obeying, while 準拠 is a formal noun/suru-verb used for conforming to established standards or rules.
則のっとる
従う is a broad verb for obeying orders, rules, or guidance in general, while 則る is more formal and specific to conforming to an established rule, precedent, or model.
赴おもむくN1
従う is the standard modern verb for obeying or following orders, while 赴く's obeying sense is archaic and rarely used today.
なびくN1
従う means to actively follow or obey rules or orders, while 靡く implies passively yielding or being swayed by pressure or influence.
ついていくN3
従う means to obey or comply with rules, orders, or a person's will, whereas ついて行く is about physically following or keeping pace with someone.
順じゅん守しゅ
従う is a general verb meaning to follow or obey, used in everyday and abstract contexts alike, whereas 順守 specifically denotes formal adherence to laws or regulations.
聞きくN5
従う means to comply with rules or authority in a broad sense, while 聞く (in this sense) is about heeding spoken advice or orders.
踏とう襲しゅう
従う is a general verb meaning to follow or obey rules, orders, or advice, whereas 踏襲 specifically refers to following an established precedent or policy, often in formal contexts.
即そくするN1
従う means to follow or obey, often implying a hierarchical relationship, whereas 即する simply means aligning with a standard or fact without any sense of obedience.
従じゅう順じゅん
従う is the verb meaning 'to obey/follow', whereas 従順 is the na-adjective describing the quality of being obedient.
準じゅんずるN1
従う is a general, everyday word for obeying or following rules, while 準ずる is more formal and specifically implies acting in correspondence with a standard or precedent.
応おうじるN3
従う means to obey or follow rules and orders, whereas 応じる implies a more voluntary response to a request or condition.
ついてくるN3
従う implies obeying or complying with someone's lead, while 付いてくる simply means physically tagging along without that nuance of obedience.
追おうN3
従う means to obey or comply with rules or orders, while 追う in this sense means to follow along a sequence or trend rather than to obey.
準じゅんじるN1
従う means 'to obey' a command or person directly, whereas 準じる means to conform to a standard or model rather than obey an order.

Opposites· 7

逆さからうN3sense 1
逆らう means to defy or go against someone's wishes or a rule, the opposite of obeying as in 従う.
反はん抗こうN3sense 1
反抗する means to rebel or resist authority, contrasting with 従う's meaning of obeying or complying.
歯は向むかうN1
従う means to obey or follow someone's orders, the direct opposite of 歯向かう, which means to defy or rise against them.

Show 4 more

反はんするN1
従う means to obey or comply, the direct opposite of 反する in the sense of disobeying orders or authority.
率ひきいるN1
従う means to follow or obey someone, the opposite role from 率いる, which means to lead or command others.
楯たて突つくN1
従う means to obey or comply with someone, the opposite of 楯突く, which means to defy or talk back to them.
背そむくN1
従う means to obey or follow, the direct opposite of 背く, which means to disobey or go against something.

Don't confuse with

従じゅう順じゅん
従順 is an adjective describing an obedient, docile personality, whereas 従う is the verb describing the act of obeying or following.
慕したうN1
従う means to simply obey or follow instructions or authority without any implied emotion, whereas 慕う means to follow someone out of genuine respect or affection.
伴ともなうN2
従う means to obey or follow a rule or person, while 伴う means to accompany or occur together with something; the kanji and general 'go along with' feel can make learners mix them up.

Word family

付つき従したがう
follow; accompany · serve; work under; obey

Written forms

従したがうUsage40%
Standard kanji spelling for all senses.
したがうUsage59%
随したがうUsage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; may appear in older texts.
順したがうUsage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; may appear in older texts.
遵したがうUsage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; may appear in older texts.
從したがうUsage<1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kyūjitai form.
隨したがうUsage<1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kyūjitai form.

Etymology

Compound of 下 (shita, 'below') + がう (kau, 'to go along'), literally 'to go under/along'. The kanji 従 carries the meaning of 'follow' or 'obey'.