căn cứ

Pursuant to

Level 6

Used to state the official mandate or factual basis that justifies an action. It carries a highly authoritative and binding tone.

How It Works

The expression căn cứ belongs to a highly formal, bureaucratic, and academic register. It derives from Sino-Vietnamese roots (根據), where căn means 'root' or 'foundation' and cứ means 'evidence' or 'to rely on', giving it a heavy, authoritative weight. It is ubiquitous in state decisions, decrees, and corporate contracts.

There are three primary syntactic structures depending on the context:

1. In Administrative Headers (Legal Drafting)
When used as a formulaic preamble stating the laws or decrees that grant the issuer authority, it attaches directly to the name of the cited legal document without any preposition: Căn cứ + [Legal Document]. By Vietnamese legal drafting standards (Decree 30/2020/NĐ-CP), this preamble is always formatted in italics (note that general administrative correspondence, or công văn, does not use this preamble header). Intermediate 'Căn cứ' lines end with a semicolon, while the final 'Căn cứ' line in the header must end with a full stop.

2. In Standard Sentences
When used as a verb phrase in the body of a text or in formal speech, it is often followed by the preposition vào: căn cứ (vào) + [Noun Phrase]. However, vào is optional and frequently omitted in formal, journalistic, and bureaucratic writing. It is most frequently used as a fronted adverbial phrase at the beginning of a sentence to set the premise. A very common syntactic frame is Căn cứ vào [A] để [B] (Based on A to do B), linking the basis directly to the resulting action.

3. Interrogative Frame
In debates or everyday speech, it is frequently used in the question frame Căn cứ vào đâu (mà/để)...? (On what basis...? / What makes you think...?) to challenge an assertion or demand the justification for an action.

Important Nuances:

  • Clauses: It cannot attach directly to a clause. To use a clause, it must be nominalized using việc (e.g., căn cứ vào việc...).
  • Contrast with Dựa vào: Dựa vào is much broader and can denote physical or emotional reliance. Căn cứ is strictly for objective justification.
  • Contrast with Theo: theo simply cites a source of information, whereas căn cứ implies the source is the authoritative mandate for an action.

Note: Căn cứ is also frequently used as a noun meaning 'a basis/foundation' (e.g., lời nói vô căn cứ = a baseless statement). Common collocations include có căn cứ (well-founded) and căn cứ pháp lý (legal basis). It can also refer to a physical 'military base' (e.g., căn cứ quân sự).

Examples (5)

  1. Căn cứ Luật Giáo dục năm 2019;

    Pursuant to the Education Law of 2019;

    Word by Word: Pursuant to Law Education year 2019;

    Notice the absence of the preposition 'vào' and the use of a semicolon, which is the strict standard for intermediate lines in Vietnamese legal drafting headers.

  2. Thanh toán được thực hiện căn cứ vào các điều khoản của hợp đồng.

    The payment is executed pursuant to the terms of the contract.

    Word by Word: Payment passive-marker execute base on plural-marker article possessive-marker contract.

    In standard sentences within the body of a text, the preposition 'vào' is often used, though it is optional and frequently omitted in highly formal or bureaucratic writing.

  3. Hội đồng kỷ luật sẽ căn cứ vào mức độ vi phạm để đưa ra hình phạt.

    The disciplinary committee will base its decision on the severity of the violation to issue a penalty.

    Word by Word: Council discipline will base on level violate to give out penalty.

    Shows usage with objective facts or severity levels to justify an authoritative decision.

  4. Quyết định này được đưa ra căn cứ vào việc công ty đã vi phạm quy định an toàn.

    This decision was made based on the fact that the company violated safety regulations.

    Word by Word: Decision this passive-marker give out base on fact company already violate regulation safety.

    To attach a full clause, you must nominalize it using 'việc'.

  5. Căn cứ vào đâu mà anh nói như vậy?

    On what basis do you say that?

    Word by Word: Base on where that brother say like thus?

    The interrogative frame 'Căn cứ vào đâu mà...?' is commonly used in debates or everyday speech to challenge someone's statement or demand evidence.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the preposition 'vào' in formal administrative headers.

    Căn cứ vào Luật Doanh nghiệp năm 2020;
    Căn cứ Luật Doanh nghiệp năm 2020;

    In the preamble of official state decisions or decrees, Vietnamese legal drafting guidelines strictly dictate omitting 'vào'. It must attach directly to the legal document.

  • Using 'căn cứ' for emotional or physical reliance.

    Lúc khó khăn, tôi luôn căn cứ vào gia đình.
    Lúc khó khăn, tôi luôn dựa vào gia đình.

    'Căn cứ' is strictly for legal, logical, or evidentiary justification. For emotional or physical reliance, you must use 'dựa vào'.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

căn cứLevel 6Pursuant to

Learn This First

To understand 'căn cứ', learners must be familiar with the formal Sino-Vietnamese register used in administrative writing. It functions similarly to 'according to' but is reserved for citing legal bases, laws, or official decrees at the beginning of documents.

Words in This Pattern

căn cứ