through, via [をとおして]

We use を通とおして to express how (the means) something is achieved. For example we can use this to show any people or organisations we went through to buy something, or how something was achieved or discovered.

Via or through seem to be the the best translations to English

私わたしたちは、友人ゆうじんを通して、友達になりました。

We became friends through a mutual friend.

Structure

We must use a noun. To use this with verbs we can turn the verb into a noun using こと

を通して (noun)

することを通して (normalized verb)

This seems to be very similar to 通つうじて, they do share the same kanji after all…

Examples

私わたしは、インターネットを通とおして、日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうしています。

I study Japanese through the internet.

この本ほんを通とおして、日本文化にほんぶんかについてたくさん学まなびました。

I learned alot about Japanese culture through this book.

戦地から帰還した兵士の話を通して、戦争の惨禍が分かってきた。

Through stories told by soldiers who have returned from the battlefield, I became aware of the horrors of war.