ならう・倣う・傚う・慣らうnarau[2]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. godan verb, intransitive verbto imitate; to follow; to copy; to emulate
   彼かれは父親ちちおやの例れいにならっていった。↗

   He followed in his father's footsteps.

• Synonym真似るまねるNeutralMimics a person's actions, words or manner; common in speech. 「倣う」 is about doing something the way a precedent or model prescribes, and is the more written of the two.
• Synonym見習うみならうNeutralFollows someone as a role model and learns from their example, e.g. 「先輩を見習う」; positive in tone, and its object is typically a person.
• Related従うしたがうNeutralObeying orders or following rules — the emphasis is on compliance. 「倣う」 is about copying how something is done.
• Related追随ついずいWrittenWritten noun for following others or trailing behind them, as in 「他社に追随する」; sometimes suggests a lack of independent judgment.
• Related準じるじゅんじるWrittenTreats something as on a par with a set standard, e.g. 「正社員に準じる待遇」; bureaucratic written style.
• Related準ずるじゅんずるWrittenA more literary form of 「準じる」 with the same meaning; found mostly in legal texts.
• Related踏襲とうしゅうWrittenFormal noun for carrying on a predecessor's methods or policies unchanged, as in 「前例を踏襲する」.
• Related準拠じゅんきょWrittenWritten noun for using rules or standards as the basis, e.g. 「教科書準拠」; technical, official-sounding.
• Related則るのっとるWrittenSolemn written word for acting in accordance with laws, customs or traditions, e.g. 「伝統に則る」.

Use 「倣う」 to follow a precedent or someone's example, as in 「前例に倣う」. For imitating a person or action pick 「真似る」, for taking someone as a role model 「見習う」, for carrying on past practice 「踏襲」, and for rules or standards 「則る」 or 「準拠」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 手本てほんを真似まねてその通とおりにする。