noun
contact; intermediary; go-between
Refers to a person who helps make introductions or connections, or the connection itself. Often used in business or job-hunting contexts.
彼のつてで、その会社に就職できた。
Through his connection, I was able to get a job at that company.
何かいいつてはありませんか。
Do you have any good contacts?
noun
Refers to the network or influence one has, especially in professional or social settings. Implies having useful people who can help.
彼は政界に強い つてを持っている。
He has strong connections in the political world.
つてを頼って、なんとかチケットを手
I relied on my connections and somehow got the tickets.
Rare kanji spelling; the 手 is often omitted.
Derived from the classical Japanese verb 伝つ (つつ), meaning 'to transmit' or 'to pass along'. The noun form came to mean a person or means through which something is conveyed.