To go past or along (a road, place); to travel via a route or pass through a place.
毎朝、この道を通って学校に行きます。
I go to school along this road every morning.
車が家の前を通った。
A car passed in front of the house.
この川にかかっている橋を通ると、町へ行けます。
If you go across the bridge over this river, you can get to town.
To run (of a rail service, bus route, etc.) between places; to operate along/through a route.
この快速は東京と横浜を通る。
This express runs between Tokyo and Yokohama.
深夜はその路線の電車が通らない。
Trains on that line do not run late at night.
To go into a room or building (often by passing through an entrance or corridor); to be shown in or admitted.
面接の順番がきて、候補者は面接室に通っていった。
When it was their turn for the interview, the candidates were led into the interview room.
受付で名前を言うと、奥の部屋に通された。
When I gave my name at reception, I was shown into the inner room.
To penetrate or pierce; to go through or pass through (something).
串が肉を通った。
The skewer went through the meat.
光が窓の隙間を通って部屋に入った。
Light passed through the gap in the window into the room.
To permeate, soak into, or spread throughout (a space or material).
コーヒーの香りが台所から家中に通ってきた。
The smell of coffee spread from the kitchen throughout the house.
雨が屋根の隙間から通って床が濡れてしまった。
Rain seeped through a gap in the roof and the floor got wet.
To carry (of a voice); to be audible or reach far—used for sound carrying or resonance.
彼女は小さい声でも通るので、会場の後ろまで聞こえた。
Even though her voice was quiet, it carried well and could be heard at the back of the hall.
マイクを使わないと、後ろの席には声が通らない。
Without a microphone, the voice won't reach the people in the back seats.
To be passed on or relayed (e.g., an order to the kitchen); to be conveyed to the relevant party.
客の注文が厨房に通ったので、料理が作られ始めた。
The customer's order was relayed to the kitchen, so they started preparing the food.
彼の意見は何度も上司を通って最終決定に反映された。
His opinion was passed up through supervisors several times and reflected in the final decision.
To pass (a test, a bill, etc.); to be approved or accepted.
彼は資格試験に一回で通った。
He passed the certification exam on his first try.
その法案は国会を通り、成立した。
The bill passed through the Diet and became law.
To be known by or go by a particular name; to be accepted/recognized as (someone/something).
彼は町では『博士』と通っている。
He is known in town as 'the Professor'.
このブランドは品質の高い商品として通っている。
This brand is regarded as producing high-quality goods.
To be coherent, logical, or reasonable; for an explanation or argument to make sense.
その説明は筋が通っているので、皆納得した。
The explanation was logical, so everyone was convinced.
その主張は一見分かりにくいが、よく考えると筋は通る。
The claim seems hard to understand at first, but on reflection it does make sense.
文章全体の論理が通っていないと読者は混乱する。
If the overall logic of a text isn't coherent, readers will be confused.
To get across (one's point); to be understood by another person.
彼の言いたいことが相手にうまく通った。
What he wanted to say was successfully understood by the other person.
難しい比喩は相手になかなか通らないことがある。
Difficult metaphors sometimes fail to come across to the listener.
To come across as; to pass for; to seem like (a certain impression to others).
彼は若く通るので、よく学生に間違えられる。
He comes across as young, so he is often mistaken for a student.
あの格好では経験者に通るかもしれないが、本当の実力は別だ。
With that appearance you might pass as experienced, but actual ability is another matter.
To be straight (used for wood grain or fibers); to have straight, continuous grain.
この板は木目がよく通っているので家具に向いている。
This board has straight grain, so it's suitable for furniture.
Archaic: to be well-informed or knowledgeable about matters; to be versed in things.
彼は世事に通る人物だと当時は言われた（古い表現）。
At the time he was said to be a person well versed in worldly affairs (archaic expression).
Suffix: attached to the -masu stem of a verb to mean 'to do ... completely' or 'to carry ... through to the end'. In modern usage, the form -通す (-とおす) is more common for this meaning.