沿う

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: Written 沿う and read そう, it means following alongside a physical line or conforming to a wish, policy, or requirement.
• Basic usage: It appears in a path beside a river and a proposal prepared to meet someone's wishes.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Route versus conformity
  • With a place it follows its course; with an abstract standard it stays aligned with the requested content.