JLPT N1 Grammar
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After passing through; via
Category: Time and Sequence
The grammar pattern "名詞 ＋ を経て" is used to describe passing through a specific process, period, or location. It emphasizes the stages or transitions gone through to reach the current state. This pattern is often used to convey a sense of progression or development, highlighting the efforts or challenges faced along the way. For example, in the sentence "20年にわたる海外での生活______、彼はようやく故郷に戻る決心をした。", the phrase "20年にわたる海外での生活" describes the period of living abroad, and "を経て" indicates the process of passing through that period to reach the current state of making a decision to return home. This pattern can be used in various contexts, such as describing a person's career development, a company's growth, or a project's progress.
| Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Te-form | 名詞 + を経て + Te-form | 彼は大学を経て、会社に就職した。 (He passed through university and got a job at a company.) |
| Ta-form | 名詞 + を経て + Ta-form | 彼は大学を経て、会社に就職した。 (He passed through university and got a job at a company.) |
| Nai-form | 名詞 + を経て + Nai-form | 彼は大学を経て、会社に就職しなかった。 (He did not get a job at a company after passing through university.) |
20年にわたる海外での生活を経て、彼女はようやく故郷に戻る決心をした。
Nijū-nen ni wataru kaigai no jiseikate, kare wa yōyaku kokyō ni modoru ketsui o tsukutta.
After living abroad for 20 years, she finally made up her mind to return home.
生活 (jiseikate) = period of living, 20年にわたる (nijū-nen ni wataru) = for 20 years, 海外 (kaigai) = abroad, 故郷 (kokyō) = hometown
新製品は幾多の試行錯誤を経て、ようやく発売にこぎつけた。
Shinseihin wa ikuta no shiryōsakui o tsukete, yōyaku hatsubai ni kogitsuketa.
The new product finally reached the market after passing through numerous trials and errors.
新製品 (shinseihin) = new product, 幾多の (ikuta no) = numerous, 試行錯誤 (shiryōsakui) = trials and errors
この特急列車は、名古屋を経て大阪へ向かいます。
Kono tokkyū ressha wa, Nagoya o tsukete Ōsaka e mukau.
This express train passes through Nagoya and heads towards Osaka.
この特急列車 (kono tokkyū ressha) = this express train, 名古屋 (Nagoya) = Nagoya, 大阪 (Ōsaka) = Osaka
This pattern is used to describe passing through a specific process, period, or location. It is often used in formal or written Japanese. In spoken Japanese, simpler expressions such as "を経て" or "を通して" may be used instead. This pattern can be used in various contexts, such as describing a person's career development, a company's growth, or a project's progress.
For example, "彼は大学を経て、会社に就職した。" is incorrect. The correct sentence is "彼は大学を卒業して、会社に就職した。"
For example, "彼は大学を経て、会社に就職した。" is incorrect. The correct sentence is "彼は大学を通して、会社に就職した。"
For example, "彼は大学を経て、会社に就職した。" is incorrect. The correct sentence is "彼は大学を経て、会社に就職している。" if describing a current state.
Be careful with the tense and the correct usage of "を経て". Make sure to use the correct form of the verb and the correct tense for the context.
20年にわたる海外での生活______、彼はようやく故郷に戻る決心をした。
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