“According to” in Chinese 1 – ànzhào

Grammar Point:
按照 ànzhào is a Chinese preposition often used to indicate following a certain method, guideline, or pattern. It conveys the idea of “following according to” or “in accordance with.”

Structure

按照 ànzhào + a prescribed method, rule, or guideline

You can use 按 àn on its own, to make the sentence more formal.

按照ànzhào你的nǐde意見yìjiàn， 我們wǒmen應該yīnggāi怎麼辦zěnmebàn比較bǐjiào好hǎo按照ànzhào你的nǐde意见yìjiàn， 我们wǒmen应该yīnggāi怎么办zěnmebàn比较bǐjiào好hǎo
According to your opinion, how should we do for the best?

按àn醫生yīshēng的de說法shuōfǎ， 我wǒ還有háiyǒu33個ge月yuè的de生命shēngmìng按àn医生yīshēng的de说法shuōfǎ， 我wǒ还有háiyǒu33个ge月yuè的de生命shēngmìng
According to the doctor’s statement, I have three more months to live.

按照ànzhào課本kèběn的de解釋jiěshì， 這個zhège文法wénfǎ可以kěyǐ用yòng在zài很hěn多duō地方dìfāng按照ànzhào课本kèběn的de解释jiěshì， 这个zhège文法wénfǎ可以kěyǐ用yòng在zài很hěn多duō地方dìfang
According to the explanation in the textbook, this grammar can be used in many situations.

按àn規則guīzé， 你nǐ現在xiànzài得děi抽chōu一張yìzhāng機會jīhuì卡kǎ按àn规则guīzé， 你nǐ现在xiànzài得děi抽chōu一张yìzhāng机会jīhuì卡kǎ
Following the rules, you now have to draw a chance card.

你nǐ沒méi按照ànzhào說明書shuōmíngshū使用shǐyòng， 東西dōngxī壞掉huàidiào我們wǒmen當然dāngrán不bú負責fùzé你nǐ没méi按照ànzhào说明书shuōmíngshū使用shǐyòng， 东西dōngxi坏掉huàidiào我们wǒmen当然dāngrán不bú负责fùzé
You didn’t follow the instructions to use it, so if the item is damaged, we can’t take responsibility.

我wǒ不會búhuì按照ànzhào我wǒ父母fùmǔ的de安排ānpái跟gēn她tā結婚jiéhūn我wǒ不会búhuì按照ànzhào我wǒ父母fùmǔ的de安排ānpái跟gēn她tā结婚jiéhūn
I won’t follow my parents’ arrangement to marry her.

Related Phrase

按理來說说 ànlǐ láishuō

理 lǐ means theory or logical. It is a Chinese expression that can be translated as “logically speaking,” “in theory,” or “according to reason.

按理ànlǐ來說láishuō， 他tā通常tōngcháng這zhè時間shíjiān已經yǐjīng到dào家jiā了le… 按理ànlǐ来说láishuō， 他tā通常tōngcháng这zhè时间shíjiān已经yǐjīng到dào家jiā了le…
Logically speaking, he should have already arrived home by this time…

按理ànlǐ來說láishuō， 我wǒ都dōu按àn食譜shípǔ做zuò的de， 不bù應該yīnggāi這麼zhème難吃nánchī啊a按理ànlǐ来说láishuō， 我wǒ都dōu按àn食谱shípǔ做zuò的de， 不bù应该yīnggāi这么zhème难吃nánchī啊a
In theory, I followed the recipe, so it shouldn’t taste this bad.

按理ànlǐ來說láishuō， 沒有人méiyǒurén會huì白目báimù到dào去qù跟gēn老闆lǎobǎn說shuō按理ànlǐ来说láishuō， 没有人méiyǒurén会huì白目báimù到dào去qù跟gēn老板lǎobǎn说shuō
Logically speaking, no one would be that foolish to go and talk to the boss.

Practice

TouchHover over the space to see the answers.

✔️ Please line up according to the numbers.

請qǐng大家dàjiā按照ànzhào號碼hàomǎ排隊páiduì请qǐng大家dàjiā按照ànzhào号码hàomǎ排队páiduì

✔️ I will prepare lunch based on everyone’s dietary habits.

我wǒ會huì按àn大家dàjiā的de飲食yǐnshí習慣xíguàn準備zhǔnbèi午餐wǔcān我wǒ会huì按àn大家dàjiā的de饮食yǐnshí习惯xíguàn准备zhǔnbèi午餐wǔcān

✔️ Your salary will be adjusted based on seniority.

你的nǐde薪水xīnshuǐ會huì按照ànzhào年資niánzī調整tiáozhěng你的nǐde薪资xīnzī会huì按照ànzhào年资niánzī调整tiáozhěng

• “According to” in chinese 2 – 根據据 gēnjù (HSK 4)

• “According to” in Chinese 3 – 依照 yīzhào and 依據据 yījù (HSK 5)