godan verb (-su), transitive verb
put through; stick through; thread through
Physical use: make something go from one side or end of an opening, hole, or narrow space to the other.
糸を針の穴に通す。
Thread the thread through the eye of the needle.
godan verb (-su), transitive verb
let penetrate throughout; spread through; cook through
Used when heat, flavor, smell, liquid, or a similar quality is made to reach through the inside or whole of something.
肉にはしっかり火を通してください。
Please cook the meat thoroughly.
godan verb (-su), transitive verb
build a route through; make a path; connect through
Used for creating or putting in a road, tunnel, line, pipe, or other route that connects two points.
山に新しいトンネルを通す計画がある。
There is a plan to put a new tunnel through the mountain.
godan verb (-su), transitive verb
act logically; keep things consistent; follow principle
Especially common in the fixed expression 筋を通す, meaning to act in a consistent, reasonable, or principled way.
See also: 筋を通す (すじをとおす)
反対されても、彼は最後まで筋を通した。
Even when opposed, he stayed true to his principles to the end.
godan verb (-su), transitive verb
let pass; allow through; admit
Transitive counterpart of 通る for allowing a person, vehicle, air, light, or similar thing to pass through a place or barrier.
警備員は救急車を先に通した。
The guard let the ambulance through first.
窓を開けて部屋に風を通す。
Open the window and let air through the room.
godan verb (-su), transitive verb
show in; lead someone into a room
Used when receiving a visitor and taking or admitting them into a room or building.
秘書は客を応接室に通した。
The secretary showed the guest into the reception room.
godan verb (-su), transitive verb
go through an intermediary; use as a go-between
Often appears as 〜を通して, meaning that contact, negotiation, purchase, or communication is done via a person, organization, or channel.
弁護士を通して相手と交渉した。
We negotiated with the other party through a lawyer.
godan verb (-su), transitive verb
see through; hear through; through a medium
Used with a medium such as glass, a wall, or a window, often in the form 〜を通して見る or 〜を通して聞く.
窓ガラスを通して庭を見た。
I looked at the garden through the window glass.
壁を通して隣の声が聞こえた。
I could hear the neighbor's voice through the wall.
godan verb (-su), transitive verb
pass a law; approve; let an applicant pass
Used for making a proposal, bill, application, candidate, or similar item pass a screening or decision process.
議会はその法案を通した。
The assembly passed the bill.
godan verb (-su), transitive verb
force through; make others accept; insist on
Used when someone pushes through a demand, opinion, or plan despite resistance; often has a nuance of insistence or pressure.
彼は自分の要求を無理に通した。
He forced his own demands through.
godan verb (-su), transitive verb
Used with a state, role, attitude, or pretense that someone maintains continuously, such as 独身を通す or 知らないふりを通す.
彼女は一生独身を通した。
She remained single all her life.
彼は最後まで知らないふりを通した。
He kept pretending not to know until the end.
godan verb (-su), transitive verb
throughout; over the whole of; all the way through
In 〜を通して, it can mean across an entire period, area, work, or range. With an action, it can also mean doing it from beginning to end without a break.
この地域は一年を通して雨が多い。
This region has a lot of rain throughout the year.
彼女は夜を通して母を看病した。
She nursed her mother through the night.
godan verb (-su), transitive verb
convey; run something by someone; clear with someone
Often used as 話を通す or in business-like contexts where information, intentions, or a proposal are conveyed to the relevant person in advance.
この件は上司に話を通してから進めよう。
Let's move forward with this after running it by the boss.
godan verb (-su), transitive verb
keep doing to the end; carry through; complete
Auxiliary-like use after another verb form, especially in expressions meaning to keep doing something or carry an action through to the end.
彼女は最後まで笑って通した。
She kept smiling all the way to the end.