に則って / に則り【にのっとって】

に則って (にのっとって) means "in accordance with", "based on", or "following". It is used to express that an action is carried out in strict compliance with established rules, laws, customs, traditions, principles, or precedents. The nuance is one of formal adherence – the speaker emphasizes that something is done properly and faithfully according to an established standard.

This expression is derived from the verb のっとる則る (のっとる), meaning "to conform to" or "to follow (a rule/model)." The て-form にのっとって則って functions as an adverbial phrase modifying the main verb of the sentence.

Variants

に則って has several variant forms that can be used depending on the grammatical context:

• に則った
  • Noun (modifying a noun):
    きそく規則にのっとった則ったこうどう行動がもとめられる求められる。

    Behavior in accordance with the rules is expected.
• に則り (more formal/written):
  けんぽう憲法にのっとり則り、せんきょ選挙がじっし実施された。

  The election was carried out in accordance with the constitution.

Nuance and usage

に則って is used in formal contexts – legal documents, official speeches, ceremonies, news reports, and academic writing. It carries a stronger sense of strict compliance compared to similar expressions like にもとづいて基づいて (based on) or にしたがって従って (following/obeying). While に基づいて focuses on something being the foundation or basis for an action, に則って emphasizes faithful adherence to an established norm or model. に従って can mean simply "following along" or "obeying instructions," whereas に則って implies acting in line with something more established and authoritative, such as laws, customs, or principles.

The noun before に則って is typically something with established authority: ほうりつ法律 (law), きそく規則 (rules), かんれい慣例 (precedent/custom), でんとう伝統 (tradition), ほうしん方針 (policy), げんそく原則 (principles), けんぽう憲法 (constitution), etc.