にわたって / を通じて — Extent and Means

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to use にわたって (ni watatte) to describe a span of time or scope, and を通じて (o tsuujite) to express a means or a duration. These two grammar patterns are common in formal and written Japanese at the N3 level.通

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Both にわたって and を通じて can express "over a period of time," but they have different core meanings:通

• にわたって = "spanning across" (focus on the extent or range of something)
• を通じて = "throughout" or "via" (focus on the means or continuous duration)通

Think of にわたって as a ruler measuring a distance/scope, and を通じて as a pipe or channel connecting two points.通

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1. にわたって (ni watatte) — Span / Extent

Structure:
[Time/Place/Scope] + にわたって + [Action/State]

Meaning:
Indicates something happens over the entire span of a period or area. Often used with long periods (years, decades, large areas).

Key nuance:
Emphasizes the breadth or scale of the span. Not used for short moments.

Example sentences:

• このプロジェクトは５年間にわたって続きました。
  Kono purojekuto wa go-nenkan ni watatte tsuzukimashita.
  This project continued over a period of five years.年間続

  年間続

• 台風の影響は広い地域にわたって出ました。
  Taifuu no eikyou wa hiroi chiiki ni watatte demashita.
  The typhoon's effects appeared across a wide area.台風影響広地

  台風影響広地

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2. を通じて (o tsuujite) — Through / Via / Throughout

Structure:
[Means/Medium/Time] + を通じて + [Action/Result]通

Meaning:
Two main uses:

1. Means/Medium — "through" or "via" (a method, channel, or intermediary)
2. Duration — "throughout" (the entire period, continuously)

Key nuance:
For means, it's like "using X as a channel." For duration, it's "all the way through Y."

Example sentences:

• 彼とは共通の友達を通じて知り合いました。
  Kare to wa kyoutsuu no tomodachi o tsuujite shiriaimashita.
  I got to know him through a mutual friend.彼共通友達知

  彼共通友達知

• この習慣は何世代にもわたって受け継がれてきた。
  Kono shuukan wa nan-sedai ni mo watatte uketsugarete kita.
  This custom has been passed down over many generations.
  (Note: にわたって is used here because it's about the span of generations, not a continuous channel.)習慣何世代受

  習慣何世代受

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❌ Using にわたって for short periods or single events

• 間違った: １分間にわたって待った (over one minute — too short, sounds unnatural)間違分待
• 正しい: １分間待った (just "waited one minute")正分間待

✅ Rule of thumb:
Use にわたって for spans that feel significant (hours, days, years, large areas).
Use を通じて for continuous duration (throughout) or means (via).通

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Fill in the blanks with にわたって or を通じて.通

1. この地域は３日間＿＿＿＿大雨が続いた。
   Kono chiiki wa mikka-kan ____ ooame ga tsuzuita.
   (Heavy rain continued over 3 days in this area.)地域日間大雨

   地域日間大雨

2. 彼はテレビ＿＿＿＿その情報を知った。
   Kare wa terebi ____ sono jouhou o shitta.
   (He learned that information through TV.)彼情報知

   彼情報知

3. その文化は何世紀も＿＿＿＿発展してきた。
   Sono bunka wa nan-seiki mo ____ hatten shite kita.
   (That culture developed over many centuries.)文化何世紀発

   文化何世紀発

4. 学校＿＿＿＿ボランティアを募集した。
   Gakkou ____ borantia o boshuu shita.
   (They recruited volunteers through the school.)学校募集

   学校募集

Answers:

1. にわたって
2. を通じて通
3. にわたって
4. を通じて通

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Next step:
Try writing 2-3 original sentences using each pattern. For にわたって, think of a long event (a festival, a project). For を通じて, think of how you learned something or communicated with someone. Practice reading them aloud.通