HSK 4 通过 vs 经过
Through (means/method) vs going through (process/place)
Comparison / 对比
| 通过 tōngguò | 经过 jīngguò | |
|---|---|---|
| Core meaning | By means of; pass (an exam/test) | To go through (a place/time/process) |
| Object type | Methods, channels, exams: 通过努力, 通过考试, 通过电话 | Places, time periods, processes: 经过医院, 经过三年, 经过努力 |
| Result emphasis | Emphasizes the means used | Emphasizes the duration or path taken |
| Verb sense | Often suggests successful completion | Often suggests passing through |
Examples / 例句
| ❌ 我每天上班通过那家咖啡店。 | ✓ 我每天上班经过那家咖啡店。 (physical place → 经过) |
| ❌ 我经过电子邮件跟他联系。 | ✓ 我通过电子邮件跟他联系。 (channel / means → 通过) |
| ❌ 通过三年的努力，公司有了变化。 (acceptable but less natural — 通过 here would mean "by means of 3 years," which is odd) | ✓ 经过三年的努力，公司有了变化。 (duration / process → 经过) |
| ❌ 他经过了HSK4考试。 | ✓ 他通过了HSK4考试。 ("passed" an exam = 通过, never 经过) |
| ❌ 通过医院，我看到一个朋友。 (would suggest "via the hospital as a channel") | ✓ 经过医院的时候，我看到一个朋友。 (passing by physically → 经过) |
English "through" is one of the most overloaded prepositions in the language. It covers physical paths ("walking through the park"), durations ("through the summer"), means ("through hard work"), and abstract passages ("through the exam"). One word does all four jobs. Chinese splits them along a single axis: concrete (physical path / time duration / experiential process) = 经过; abstract (method / channel / passing a test) = 通过. English-speaking learners reflexively reach for whichever 'through' word they learned first and use it for everything. The fix is to ask "concrete or abstract?" before producing the sentence: if you can point to it on a map or a clock, it's 经过; if it's a how-question (how did you contact him? how did he succeed?), it's 通过.
Fill in the Blank / 填空练习
Type the correct word to complete each sentence. Press Enter or click Check.
Quick Quiz / 小测验
Real HSK 4 Test Questions Using 通过 or 经过 / 真题示例
2 actual HSK 4 questions from our mock exams that test the 通过 vs 经过 distinction:
A 它就长满了这面墙，叶子很厚，绿绿的
B 这种植物在这个季节长得很快
C 经过短短一个星期
通过 vs 经过 FAQ
Are 通过 and 经过 interchangeable in HSK 4?
No. Although 通过 (tōngguò) and 经过 (jīngguò) translate similarly into English, HSK 4 fill-in-the-blank and listening questions test exactly the distinction between them. 通过 + means/method ('via', 'by means of') OR + exam name ('to pass').
How is 通过 vs 经过 tested in HSK 4?
Most often in HSK 4 阅读 (reading) Part 1 选词填空 (Q46-55), where you choose the correct word for a blank in a sentence. Also appears in 听力 (listening) where the speaker uses one but the printed answer paraphrases with the other. Master both 通过 and 经过 collocations to lock in these points.
What's the quickest way to remember 通过 vs 经过?
通过 + means/method ('via', 'by means of') OR + exam name ('to pass'). 经过 + place/time/process ('go through', 'after a period of'). KEY: 经过努力 (after effort) and 通过努力 (through effort) are both grammatical and slightly different in flavour — 经过 emphasizes the journey, 通过 emphasizes the method. Practice 3-5 fill-in-blank questions in our HSK 4 mock exams to lock the distinction.