How to Say “Through” with 经过 (jīngguò)
经过 (jīngguò) has two jobs. As a verb it means “to pass by / past” a place: 我每天经过这里 (“I pass by here every day”). As a preposition it means “through / after going through” a process: it fronts the experience or time you went through, then the main clause gives the result. 经过努力，她考上了大学 (“through hard work, she got into university”), 经过两个月的准备，他通过了面试.
Why this trips learners up
经过 (jīngguò) does two related jobs. As a verb, it means “to pass by / past” a place, and it takes that place directly: 我每天上班都经过这里 (“I pass by here every day on the way to work”), 这趟车会经过火车站 (“this bus passes by the station”), 你经过超市的时候买点水果 (“grab some fruit when you pass the supermarket”).
As a preposition, 经过 means “through” or “after going through,” and this is the B1 use to master. It fronts a process or stretch of time you went through, and the main clause then states the result it led to: 经过 + Process / Time，结果. 经过努力，她考上了北京大学 (“through her own hard work, she got into Peking University”), 经过两个月的准备，他通过了面试 (“after two months of preparation, he passed the interview”), 经过这几年的发展，这个城市变化很大 (“after these years of development, the city has changed a lot”).
The whole effect is to spotlight the process behind an outcome, the effort, the time, the investigation that produced the result. So it pairs naturally with result-flavoured words like 终于 (“finally”): 经过大家的讨论，我们终于做出了决定 (“after everyone's discussion, we finally reached a decision”). When the process has a duration, keep the 的: it's 经过两个月的准备, not 经过两个月准备.
Two things to keep straight. First, the prepositional 经过 phrase goes at the front, before the result, not trailing after it. Second, don't swap in 通过 (tōngguò), the wiki's look-alike: 经过 is “to pass by” a place or “go through” an experience, while 通过 is “to pass through” (across) or “by means of.” For “I pass by here daily” it's 经过这里, not 通过这里. And against 在…下: 在…下 frames a static condition a result happens under (在大家的帮助下), while 经过 frames a process the result came out of.
The structure
Colour key
Each colour marks one grammatical role — and the same colour means the same role on every page in the Lab.
Examples in context
Real-world sentences, easiest first. Toggle pinyin or the translation, tap any word to see its role, or play the audio.
Tap a word to see its grammatical role.
wǒ 我 Subject měitiān shàngbān 每天上班 Time dōu 都 Adverb jīngguò 经过 Pattern zhèlǐ 这里 Object
I pass by here every day on the way to work (经过 as a verb + a place).
zhè tàng chē 这趟车 Subject huì 会 Function word jīngguò 经过 Pattern huǒchēzhàn 火车站 Object
This bus passes by the train station (经过 + place).
nǐ 你 Subject jīngguò 经过 Pattern chāoshì 超市 Object de shíhou 的时候 Time mǎi diǎn shuǐguǒ 买点水果 Verb
Grab some fruit when you pass the supermarket (经过 inside a 的时候 clause).
jīngguò 经过 Pattern nǔlì 努力 Object tā ，她 Subject kǎoshàng le dàxué 考上了大学 Verb
Through her own hard work, she got into university (经过 + process, then the result).
jīngguò 经过 Pattern liǎng gè yuè de zhǔnbèi 两个月的准备 Object tā ，他 Subject tōngguò le miànshì 通过了面试 Verb
After two months of preparation, he passed the interview (经过 + duration + 的 + noun).
jīngguò 经过 Pattern zhè jǐ nián de fāzhǎn 这几年的发展 Object zhège chéngshì ，这个城市 Subject biànhuà hěn dà 变化很大 Verb
After these years of development, the city has changed a lot (经过 + process).
jīngguò 经过 Pattern yí gè xīngqī de diàochá 一个星期的调查 Object jǐngchá ，警察 Subject rènwéi tā méiyǒu zuì 认为他没有罪 Verb
After a week's investigation, the police believe he's innocent (经过 + duration).
jīngguò 经过 Pattern dàjiā de tǎolùn 大家的讨论 Object wǒmen ，我们 Subject zhōngyú 终于 Adverb zuòchū le juédìng 做出了决定 Verb
After everyone's discussion, we finally made a decision (经过 + process, with 终于).
Common mistakes
Why it happens: The prepositional 经过 + process goes at the front, before the result, not after it. “Through hard work, she got into university” is 经过努力，她考上了大学, not 她考上了大学，经过努力. Front the process, then state the outcome.
Why it happens: 经过 is “pass by” a place; 通过 is “pass through / by means of.” “I pass by here every day” is 我每天经过这里, not 通过这里. Use 经过 for going past a place or through an experience; 通过 is for passing across something or doing it by some means.
Why it happens: When the process has a length, keep the 的: 经过两个月的准备, not 经过两个月准备. The pattern is 经过 + [duration] + 的 + [noun], so 经过三年的努力, 经过一个星期的调查.
Compare & contrast
| 经过 (verb): pass by / past a place | 经过 (preposition): through a process, then a result | The difference |
|---|---|---|
| 我经过那家商店wǒ jīngguò nà jiā shāngdiàn = “I pass by that shop” (a place) | 经过努力，我成功了jīngguò nǔlì, wǒ chénggōng le = “through effort, I succeeded” (a process → result) | 我经过那家商店 = “I pass by that shop,” 经过 as a verb taking a place. 经过努力，我成功了 = “through effort, I succeeded,” 经过 fronting a process that led to a result. A place versus a process. |
| 火车经过这个城市huǒchē jīngguò zhège chéngshì = “the train passes through this city” | 经过一年的学习，我能看懂报纸了jīngguò yì nián de xuéxí, wǒ néng kàndǒng bàozhǐ le = “after a year of study, I can read newspapers” | 火车经过这个城市 = “the train passes through this city” (a place, verb). 经过一年的学习，我能看懂报纸了 = “after a year of study, I can read newspapers” (a process and its result, preposition). Same word, two jobs. |
Try it yourself
Say “Through effort, I succeeded.” Front the 经过 + process, then the result.
Related patterns
Quick reference card
How to Say “Through” with 经过 (jīngguò) grammar.merrymandarin.com A pocket summary — print it and keep it by your desk.