How to use 通过
通过 + Agent / Method ，⋯⋯
通过 can function as a verb describing passage through an opening or across a route. It also means passing a test or gaining approval, where the passage is figurative. Read the following noun carefully to decide whether the sentence concerns physical movement, a successful assessment, or acceptance of a proposal.
As a preposition, 通过 introduces a means or channel before the main action. This might be a person who provides an introduction, a communication medium, or a planned activity such as training. The main clause states what that means helped achieve. Unlike 经过, which often highlights a process undergone, 通过 commonly emphasizes how the result was obtained.
Examples with pinyin and English
从我家到那儿要通过两座桥。
To get there from my house, you have to cross two bridges.
通过那个红色的大门，左拐就到了。
Go through that red door, turn left and you are there.
我通过了这个考试。
I passed this test.
他没通过昨天的面试。
He didn't pass yesterday's job interview.
What to remember
- Check whether 通过 is the main verb.
- A method phrase goes before the resulting action.
- The channel may be a person, medium, or activity.
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Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
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