Japanese grammar

What does ～とおりに mean? Japanese grammar N3

～とおりに means just as; in accordance with (what was said/thought/done/planned).

Quick facts
Level (estimated, JLPT framework)	N3
Structure	Vる/Vた + とおりに Nの + とおりに N + どおりに
Romaji	toorini
Meaning	just as; in accordance with (what was said/thought/done/planned)

Forming it

Verb	言った + とおりに
Noun + の	説明 + の + とおりに
Compound noun (rendaku)	予定 + どおりに

How to use it

Confirms that the clause after matches EXACTLY the content stated before — done/happened exactly as instructed, as predicted, or as a model.

「～とおりに」 confirms that the clause after matches EXACTLY the content of the clause before — done exactly as instructed, as predicted, or as a model.
Verbs (聞く, 言う, 思う) choose the 「た／る」 form according to tense: 「言ったとおり」 (exactly as said), 「思ったとおり」 (exactly as thought).
When connecting directly after a noun (without 「の」), it undergoes rendaku to 「どおり」: 予定どおり, 期待どおり.

Examples

先生(せんせい)が説明(せつめい)したとおりに、実験(じっけん)を行(おこな)った。
I carried out the experiment exactly as the teacher had explained.
物事(ものごと)はいつも思(おも)ったとおりに進(すす)むとは限(かぎ)らない。
Things do not always go exactly as you expect.

Keep in mind

Noun + 「の」 + 「とおりに」, or noun + 「どおりに」 (voiced sound) — both forms mean the same.
Unlike 「～ように」 (purpose/giving an example), 「とおりに」 emphasizes EXACTLY MATCHING an existing model.

Common mistakes

Wrong地図(ちず)とおりに歩(ある)いた。

I followed the map exactly.

Correct地図(ちず)のとおりに歩(ある)いた。

Nouns connecting to 「とおりに」 need 「の」 (地図のとおりに), or use the rendaku form 「どおり」 (地図どおり).
Wrong思(おも)うとおりに、試験(しけん)は難(むずか)しかった。

Just as I thought, the exam was very difficult.

Correct思(おも)ったとおりに、試験(しけん)は難(むずか)しかった。

When the result already happened matching something thought of BEFORE, use the past form 「思ったとおり」.

Exam tips

Nouns connect with 「の」 (Nのとおり) or rendaku (Nどおり); verbs choose 「る／た」 by tense.

Related patterns

All N3 grammar →