JLPT N1Written

を経へてby way of; after going through

Something passes through a stage, a place or a stretch of time on its way to where it ends up. It is a written word.

長ちょう期きの審しん議ぎを経へて、法ほう案あんは可か決けつされた。

After lengthy deliberation, the bill was passed.

代だい表ひょう団だんはシンガポールを経へて、ジャカルタに到とう着ちゃくした。

The delegation reached Jakarta by way of Singapore.

How to form it

Noun + を経て

Read へて, from the verb 経へる, to pass through. 経たつ, for time going by, is the same kanji and a different verb.

Before it: A stage or a process (審しん査さ, 研けん修しゅう, 話はなし合あい), a length of time (三さん年ねん, 長ながい年ねん月げつ), or a place on the route.
After it: Where things ended up: 完かん成せいした, 採さい用ようされた, パリに着ついた.
Where you'll meet it: News, histories, biographies, company and career profiles. Out loud, mostly in speeches and interviews.

In use

三さん年ねん間かんの研けん修しゅうを経へて、彼かの女じょは正せい式しきに技ぎ師しとして採さい用ようされた。

After three years of training, she was formally taken on as an engineer.

彼かれは二に度どの転てん職しょくを経へて、現げん在ざいは出しゅっ版ぱん社しゃで働はたらいている。

After changing jobs twice, he now works for a publisher.

二に十じゅう年ねんの時ときを経へて、二人ふたりは再さい会かいした。

After twenty years, the two met again.

A stretch of time.

Two things to know

A stage on the way, not just "after"

What comes before を経て is part of how the result was reached. Two things that merely happen in order take てから.

Sounds odd: 夕ゆう飯はんを経へて、風ふ呂ろに入はいった。

Having passed through dinner, I took a bath.

夕ゆう飯はんを食たべてから.

Out loud, a route is 経けい由ゆで

一いっ行こうはロンドンを経へてパリへ向むかった。

The party headed for Paris by way of London.

Written: a history or a travel book.

ロンドン経けい由ゆでパリに行いった。

I went to Paris via London.

What you'd say.

Close neighbours

を通して・を通じてN3

A go-between: a person, a medium or an experience that something comes through. It isn't a stage left behind on the way.

申しん請せい書しょは担たん当とう者しゃを通とおして提てい出しゅつしてください。

Please submit the application through the person in charge.

末（に）N2

After a long struggle, the outcome. を経て only names what was passed through; it wasn't necessarily hard.

半はん年としにわたる交こう渉しょうの末すえに、両りょう社しゃは契けい約やくを更こう新しんしないことで合ごう意いした。

After six months of negotiations, the two companies agreed not to renew the contract.

てからN5

The everyday "after". It gives the order and nothing more.

朝あさご飯はんを食たべてから、歯はを磨みがきます。

I brush my teeth after eating breakfast.

Check yourself

1Which sentence sounds natural?

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

今いまの妻つまとは、大だい学がく時じ代だいの友ゆう人じん（　　）知しり合あった。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

Before a noun it is を経へた.

百ひゃく年ねんの歳さい月げつを経へた建たて物ものが、今いまも使つかわれている。

A building that has stood for a hundred years is still in use.

More sentences

幾いく度どもの試し作さくを経へて、新しん型がた電でん池ちが完かん成せいした。

After many prototypes, the new battery was completed.

復ふっ旧きゅう工こう事じを経へて、鉄てつ道どう路ろ線せんは半はん年としぶりに全ぜん線せん開かい通つうした。

After restoration work, the whole rail line reopened for the first time in six months.

研けん究きゅう成せい果かは学がく内ない審しん査さを経へて、国こく際さい誌しに掲けい載さいされた。

After an internal university review, the findings were published in an international journal.

申しん請せい書しょは担たん当とう部ぶ署しょを経へて、審しん査さ委い員いん会かいに送おくられる。

The application goes through the department responsible and on to the review committee.

古ふるい街かい道どうは山やまあいの集しゅう落らくを経へて、海かい岸がんへと続つづいている。

The old highway passes through a mountain village and continues to the coast.