従来

What it means

従来 means up to now or as things have been established, used to refer to the existing state before a change or new development. It signals the baseline or status quo prior to adoption of new methods or ideas.

Main meanings

• conventional or traditional quality when describing methods, standards, or norms, especially in formal discourse
• adverbial usage that frames statements as referring to the past state or the status quo
• used to contrast with novel approaches, innovations, or future plans

How to use it

Used in formal or technical writing to describe the existing state, prior practices, or established norms; can introduce a contrast with new methods, policies, or innovations; typically appears with の to modify a noun (従来の). 従来の方法で検証を行う。今後は新しい手法を導入する予定だ。