通とおす

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.

• 糸いとを針はりの穴あなに通とおす。

  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.

• 肉にくにはしっかり火ひを通とおしてください。

  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.

• 山やまに新あたらしいトンネルを通とおす計けい画かくがある。

  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)

• 反はん対たいされても、彼かれは最さい後ごまで筋すじを通とおした。

  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.

• 警けい備び員いんは救きゅう急きゅう車しゃを先さきに通とおした。

  The guard let the ambulance through first.

• 窓まどを開あけて部屋へやに風かぜを通とおす。

  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.

• 秘ひ書しょは客きゃくを応おう接せつ室しつに通とおした。

  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.

• 弁べん護ご士しを通とおして相あい手てと交こう渉しょうした。

  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.

• 窓まどガラスを通とおして庭にわを見みた。

  I looked at the garden through the window glass.

• 壁かべを通とおして隣となりの声こえが聞きこえた。

  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.

• 議ぎ会かいはその法ほう案あんを通とおした。

  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.

• 彼かれは自じ分ぶんの要よう求きゅうを無む理りに通とおした。

  He forced his own demands through.

godan verb (-su), transitive verb

remain; keep up; persist in

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.

• 彼かの女じょは一いっ生しょう独どく身しんを通とおした。

  She remained single all her life.

• 彼かれは最さい後ごまで知しらないふりを通とおした。

  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.

• この地ち域いきは一いち年ねんを通とおして雨あめが多おおい。

  This region has a lot of rain throughout the year.

• 彼かの女じょは夜よるを通とおして母ははを看かん病びょうした。

  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.

• この件けんは上じょう司しに話はなしを通とおしてから進すすめよう。

  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.

• 彼かの女じょは最さい後ごまで笑わらって通とおした。

  She kept smiling all the way to the end.