Grammar Info
N2 Lesson 6: 9/20

を通(つう)じて
through, via, throughout

Used when something has been done not directly, but by a proxy/some means/tool/etc.

Structure
Noun + 通し
Noun + 通じ
Details
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使用域 一般
Information
を通(つう)じて and を通(とお)して are two grammar patterns in Japanese that have very similar meanings to each other, and are used in many overlapping situations. Primarily, they can be thought of as meaning ‘through (A), (B)’, or ‘via (A), (B)’. This ‘through’ may either indicate a method, or a location.
通(つう)じる ‘to flow’, or ‘to go through’ and 通(とお)す ‘to make a path’, only differ in that the former is intransitive, while the latter is transitive. Because of this, 通(つう)じる will be seen more often in regard to information or communication where (A) is the connection through which (B) occurs. 通(とお)す on the other hand more often refers to direct locations through which something is transferred or relocated. As this expression begins with を, it will appear after nouns, before expressing in the (B) part of the sentence exactly what was done ‘through’ (A).
  • その事件(じけん)はネットニュースを通(つう)じて知(し)りました。
    I learned about that incident through online news.
  • 彼(かれ)はアニメを通(つう)じて日本語(にほんご)を学(まな)んだそうだ。
    I heard that he learned Japanese through anime.
  • 語学(ごがく)留学(りゅうがく)を通(とお)して日本(にほん)の文化(ぶんか)などを学(まな)びました。
    I learned about Japanese culture and other aspects of Japan through language study.
  • 仕事(しごと)を通(とお)して今(いま)の妻(つま)と出会(であ)いました。
    I met my current wife through work.
Caution - The primary difference between を通(つう)じて and を通(とお)して lies in the intransitive and transitive nature of the verbs themselves. Due to this, things that are being done ‘intentionally’, or ‘by use of (A)’ will tend to use を通(とお)して. を通(つう)じて is more common when something is being done ‘throughout (A)’.
  • ロシアには年間(ねんかん)を通(つう)じて寒(さむ)い村(むら)があるらしい。
    I heard that there is a town in Russia that is cold throughout the year.
  • 事故(じこ)にあった際(さい)には弁護士(べんごし)を通(つう)じて相手(あいて)に連絡(れんらく)をするようにしてください。
    If you are involved in an accident, you should contact the other party through your attorney.
  • 事故(じこ)にあった際(さい)には弁護士(べんごし)を通(とお)して相手(あいて)に連絡(れんらく)をするようにしてください。
    If you are involved in an accident, you should contact the other party through your attorney.
  • ロシアには年間(ねんかん)を通(とお)して寒(さむ)い村(むら)があるらしい。
    I heard that there is a town in Russia that is cold throughout the year.
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今(いま)奥(おく)さんには友達(ともだち)を通(つう)じて出会(であ)った。
I met my current wife through a friend.
このプロジェクトを通(つう)じて多(おお)くのことを学(まな)んだ。
I have learned a lot through participating in this project.
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親(おや)と弁護士(べんごし)だけを通(つう)じて連絡(れんらく)できることになった。親(おや)が私(わたし)のことを憎(にく)んでいる。
I ended up being able to communicate with my parents only via the lawyer. My parents hate me.
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