1For information such as a rumor or news to spread from person to person and become widely known.
その噂はまたたく間に学校中に伝わった。
The rumor spread through the whole school in an instant.
事故のニュースはすぐに近所に伝わった。
News of the accident quickly spread through the neighborhood.
インターネットのおかげで情報が瞬時に世界中へ伝わる時代になった。
Thanks to the internet, we now live in an age where information spreads around the world instantly.
彼が会社を辞めるという話はまだ社員全員には伝わっていない。
The news that he's quitting the company hasn't reached all the employees yet.
2For a custom, skill, or object to be handed down and preserved across generations.
この神社には千年以上前から伝わる祭りがある。
This shrine has a festival that has been handed down for over a thousand years.
祖母から母へ、そして私へと、この着物は代々伝わってきた。
This kimono has been passed down from my grandmother to my mother, and then to me.
職人の技は、口伝えで弟子に伝わっていった。
The craftsman's skill was passed down to his apprentices by word of mouth.
3For a foreign culture, technology, or religion to be brought into a country or region for the first time and spread there.
漢字は中国から日本に伝わった。
Kanji characters were brought to Japan from China.
この織物の技術はシルクロードを通って伝わったと言われている。
It is said that this weaving technique was brought over via the Silk Road.
キリスト教が日本に伝わったのは十六世紀のことだ。
Christianity was introduced to Japan in the sixteenth century.
4For a feeling or impression to come through clearly to someone via an expression, attitude, or piece of writing.
彼のスピーチからは強い熱意が伝わってきた。
A strong sense of passion came through in his speech.
手紙を読むと、彼女の優しさが伝わってくる。
Reading the letter, you can feel her kindness coming through.
言葉が足りず、私の気持ちがうまく伝わらなかった。
I didn't have the right words, so my feelings didn't come across well.
5For sound, vibration, electricity, heat, etc. to travel through a material and reach another place.
上の階の足音が天井を伝わって聞こえてくる。
The footsteps from the floor above can be heard traveling through the ceiling.
熱はフライパンの持ち手にも伝わるので気をつけて。
Heat also travels to the pan's handle, so be careful.
地震の揺れは地面を伝わって遠くまで届く。
Earthquake tremors travel through the ground and reach far distances.
6(Somewhat literary) to move along, following the line of something.
サルは枝から枝へと伝わって移動した。
The monkey moved along, going from branch to branch.
登山者は岩肌を伝わりながら頂上を目指した。
The climbers made their way up toward the summit, moving along the rock face.