Translation guide
The English word 'through' has many uses as a preposition, adverb, and adjective. This guide covers the most common meanings and how to express them naturally in Japanese, organized by function.
Expressing physical movement from one side of something to the other, or passing within a space.
Use this pattern to mean 'pass through' a space, such as a tunnel, forest, or crowd. The verb 通り抜ける (とおりぬける) specifically means to go through and out the other side.
We passed through the tunnel.
It's tough to get through the crowd.
A more general verb meaning 'to pass through' or 'to go along'. It can be used for roads, gates, or checkpoints.
I go to the station through this road.
Using the te-form of 抜ける (ぬける) to mean 'through' and then continuing the action. Often used when exiting a space.
We went through the forest and came to a lake.
Expressing penetration or passage through a substance, like light through glass or sound through walls.
This is the most common way to say 'through' when something passes through a medium. It can be used for physical penetration or abstract mediation.
Light comes in through the window.
I can hear voices through the wall.
Used when an action is done through or over something, often implying a barrier. Common with glass, windows, or shoulders.
We talked through the glass.
Expressing duration from the beginning to the end of a time period.
This pattern emphasizes continuity throughout a period. ずっと adds the sense of 'all through'.
I traveled all through the summer.
Attached to time nouns to mean 'throughout' or 'all through'. For example, 一年中 (いちねんじゅう) means 'all year round'.
He stayed up all through the night.
More formal, often used for periods or entire spans of time.
Expressing that something is done via a person, system, or process.
Expressing completion or being finished with something.
Expressing thoroughness or being completely something.
English uses 'through' in many idiomatic ways that don't map to a single Japanese word. For example, 'read through a book' is often just 読む (よむ) without a 'through' equivalent. Pay attention to the verb and context.
Both can mean 'through' in the sense of a medium or time period. を通して (をとおして) is more common for physical passage and mediation, while を通じて (をつうじて) is slightly more formal and often used for time spans or abstract connections.
Get information through the internet.
Warm all through the year.
This region is mild all through the year.