Pursuant to, on the basis of: căn cứ (vào)

Căn cứ means "on the basis of" or, in legal language, "pursuant to". It comes first and names the law, document or evidence a decision rests on: Căn cứ kết quả kiểm tra, Sở đã đình chỉ hoạt động của cơ sở (on the basis of the inspection results, the department suspended the business). Vào may follow it, căn cứ vào, with no change in meaning.

Its best-known home is the top of every decree and decision. Before the decision itself comes a list of lines, each starting Căn cứ, such as Căn cứ Luật …; and Căn cứ Nghị định số …;. The list names the laws that give the authority to decide. In a decision, a reader can usually skip to the word QUYẾT ĐỊNH (decides), where the content begins; in a decree, to Điều 1.

News uses it more loosely, for any evidence behind a step: căn cứ lời khai của nhân chứng (on the basis of witness statements), căn cứ tình hình thực tế (in light of the actual situation).

Căn cứ points to an authority or evidence that justifies a decision. Dựa trên (based on) is broader and fits a study, a design or an opinion. Theo quy định (as the rules lay down) says that something follows the law, not that a decision rests on it.

As a noun, căn cứ also means "grounds" (không có căn cứ, groundless) and "base" (căn cứ quân sự, a military base). In conversation, people say dựa vào or just theo.