JLPT N2Written, formalA large span

にわたってover, across (a large span)

Something covers a whole span, and the span is felt as large: three whole years, four cities, ten sessions. It is how news and reports say how far something reached.

time

調ちょう査さは三さん年ねん間かんにわたって行おこなわれた。

The survey was carried out over three years.

area

豪ごう雨うによる停てい電でんは四よっつの市しにわたって発はっ生せいした。

The torrential rain caused power outages across four cities.

How to form it

Length, area or number of times + にわたって

In formal writing and speeches also にわたり. Sometimes written に渡わたって.

Before a noun

Length, area or number of times + にわたる + noun

Before it: A length of time, an area, a number of times or a range of subjects: 三みっ日か間かん, 長なが年ねん, 広ひろい範はん囲い, 十じゅっ回かい, 多おおくの分ぶん野や.
After it: What went on or was done across it: 続つづく, 行おこなわれる, 開ひらかれる.
Tone: Formal. It makes the span sound big.
Where you'll meet it: News, reports, notices of events, and formal thanks and farewells.

In use

事じ故この影えい響きょうで、高こう速そく道どう路ろは十じゅっキロにわたって渋じゅう滞たいしている。

Because of the accident, traffic is backed up for ten kilometers on the expressway.

委い員いん会かいは十じゅっ回かいにわたって議ぎ論ろんを重かさねた。

The committee discussed the matter over ten sessions.

Ten separate meetings, not one long one.

資し料りょうには半はん世せい紀きにわたる地ち域いきの変へん化かが記き録ろくされている。

The documents record half a century of change in the area.

Before a noun.

長なが年ねんにわたり、大たい変へんお世せ話わになりました。

Thank you for everything you have done for me over these many years.

Said when leaving a job.

The span has to feel big

Years, kilometers, meeting after meeting. With something short it comes out as a joke. In conversation people say the length, and add も if it felt long: 三さん時じ間かんも待まった, "I waited three whole hours".

Sounds odd: 駅えきで友ともだちを五ご分ふんにわたって待まった。

I waited for my friend at the station for a full five minutes.

Plainly: 五ご分ふん待まった.

Close neighbours

から～にかけてN2

Names the two ends of a rough stretch. にわたって names the whole span, usually in one word, and says it is large.

イベントは九く月がつから十じゅう一いち月がつにかけて各かく地ちで開かい催さいされる。

The events will be held in various places from around September into November.

を通して・を通じてN3

All through a period seen as one whole, like a year or a lifetime. It doesn't say the period is long.

この地ち域いきは一いち年ねんを通とおして温おん暖だんな気き候こうが続つづく。

This region has a mild climate all year round.

中 (じゅう)N4

The everyday "all through" and "all over": 一いち日にち中じゅう, 日本にほん中じゅう.

一いち日にち中じゅう図と書しょ館かんで勉べん強きょうしました。

I studied at the library all day.

Check yourself

1Which sentence sounds natural?

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

これは十じゅう年ねん（　　）研けん究きゅうの成せい果かです。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

復ふっ旧きゅう作さ業ぎょうは四よんか月げつ間かんにわたって続つづいた。

The repair work went on for a full four months.

大おお雨あめの影えい響きょうは県けん内ないの広ひろい地ち域いきにわたって確かく認にんされた。

The effects of the heavy rain were confirmed across a wide area of the prefecture.

チームは六ろっ回かいにわたって安あん全ぜん試し験けんを実じっ施しした。

The team ran safety tests on six separate occasions.

この報ほう告こく書しょは教きょう育いく、医い療りょう、雇こ用ようなど多た分ぶん野やにわたる課か題だいを扱あつかっている。

This report deals with issues across many fields, among them education, health care and employment.

百ひゃっキロにわたる海かい岸がん線せんでごみが確かく認にんされた。

Trash was found along a hundred kilometers of coastline.