This is an example from the Progressive Japanese-English Dictionary:
彼は短刀を柄{つか}も通れと男の胸に突き刺した
He thrust his dagger home [up to the hilt] into the man's chest.
What is the grammar behind this verb form of 通る? Is this a fixed expression?
1 Answer
[彼]{かれ}は[短刀]{たんとう}を[柄]{つか}も[通]{とお}れと[男]{おとこ}の[胸]{むね}に[突]{つ}き[刺]{さ}した。
in meaning, is equal to:
彼は短刀を『柄も通れ！』と男の胸に突き刺した。
「通れ」 is the [命令形]{めいれいけい} (imperative form) the of the verb 「通る」.
「柄も通れ」 is what the guy thought to himself as he stabbed the other guy. He wanted to stab deep. = "Let even the hilt go through!"
This is no fixed expression, but you will keep seeing the structure:
「Verb A in imperative + と + Verb phrase B」=
"(Someone) did (Verb B) thinking/saying/praying, etc. 'Let (Verb A) happen!'"
Needless to say, 「と」 is the quotative particle.
