に沿って goes after a noun and means "along" or "in line with". It follows
something long – a road, a river, a coast – or something you act on – a plan,
a policy, someone's wishes. It is the て-form of , "to run alongside".
。
I walked along the river.
。
A road runs along the railway line.
。
Please proceed in line with the plan.
。
We will respond in line with the customer's wishes.
Before a noun
Before a noun, に沿って becomes に沿った. In writing you also see に沿う.
。
We will think of measures in line with the policy.
。
We provide services that match customers' needs.
に沿って or に従って
means obeying: a rule, an order, an instruction you have no say
in. に沿って means keeping to the line of something, so it suits a plan, a
theme or a wish better than a command.
。
Please follow the teacher's instructions.
。
Write freely, keeping to the theme.
Usage notes
These go beyond the て-form.
に沿い in writing
に沿い ends a clause the same way に沿って does. It belongs to written and
formal Japanese.
、。
The work will proceed in line with the plan.
期待に沿う
on its own, with
or
, means "to live up to"
or "to meet".
。
We will do our best to meet your expectations.
Lingaku