Meaning and Usage
The verb やりとおす means to carry something through to completion or to achieve something despite difficulties. It implies persistence and determination to finish what one has started.
Common Contexts
It is often used in contexts involving tasks, plans, promises, or goals that require effort and endurance to complete. The nuance is that the action is not just started but fully completed.
Collocations and Patterns
- やりとおす仕事 (work carried through to the end): emphasizes completing a task thoroughly.
- 計画をやりとおす (carry through a plan): used when discussing following a plan to completion.
- 約束をやりとおす (follow through on a promise): stresses fulfilling commitments.
Register and Politeness
やりとおす is a neutral to slightly formal verb, suitable for both spoken and written Japanese, especially in professional or serious contexts.
Common Learner Mistake
Learners sometimes confuse やりとおす with やりとげる, which also means to accomplish or complete. やりとおす often emphasizes persistence through to the end, while やりとげる can emphasize achievement or success. Context will guide which to use.