Japanese word

通す

Pronunciation

Romajitōsu

Meaning

  • verblet through

Example

係の人が私を通しました。kakari no hito ga watashi o tō shi ma shi ta

The staff member let me through.

Illustration for 通す (let through)

More examples

先生は子どもたちを順番に通します。sen sei wa ko do mo ta chi o jun ban ni tō shi ma su

The teacher lets the children through one at a time.

警備員はその車を通しました。kei bi in wa so no kuruma o tō shi ma shi ta

The security guard let the car through.

Core concept

Describes allowing a person or thing to move past a barrier or checkpoint.

Common phrases

  • 人を通すhito o tō su

    let someone through

  • 中へ通すnaka e tō su

    let someone in

  • 先に通すsaki ni tō su

    let someone go first

Similar words

許すyurusu: To permit a person or thing to pass a barrier or checkpoint.
入れるireru: To permit someone or something to come into a place.

Definition in Japanese

人や物を、妨げるものの向こう側へ進ませる。hito ya mono o samata ge ru mo no no mu kō gawa e susu ma se ru

Word origin

通す (tōsu) belongs to an old native Japanese transitivity pair with 通る (tōru, "pass"); the -す (-su) ending marks the transitive form, meaning "make pass."

Usage tips

  • In English, let through usually takes the person or thing that passes as its object, while go through describes that person's or thing's own movement.

Opposites

Related words

  • 通し方tōshikatahow to let people throughnoun

Word lists with this word