を/に・通る particle help

Question

In the sentence,

毎日、この道を通ります。

why is を used? Wouldn't it be に?
Also,

試験に通る

I thought the verb was intransitive, so I thought it would be が maybe. "the test was passed" ?

Any helpful explanations?

Answer 1

It's challenging to provide an exhaustive answer for your question. I recommend you leverage the existing posts in this forum explaining the basics, and supplement with these examples tailored for you:

In the sentence, 毎日、この道を通ります。 why is を used?

Example to use を - 1

• Question E: what are you walking on (top of)?
• Question J: 何(の上)を walking していますか？

↓

• Answer E: I am walking on (top of) the 道.
• Answer J: 道(の上)を walking しています。

---

Example to use を - 2

• Question E: what are you searching for?
• Question J: 何を searching していますか？

↓

• Answer E: I am searching for the 道.
• Answer J: 道を searching しています。

---

Example to use に - 1

• Question E: what are you angry at?
• Question J: 何に angry ですか？

↓

• Answer E: I am angry at the 道.
• Answer J: 道に angry です。

---

Example to use に - 2

• Question E: where are you throwing against?
• Question J: どこに throwing してますか？

↓

• Answer E: I am throwing against the 道.
• Answer J: 道に throwing しています。

---

Consider using に when pointing to a target. Shout against, scream towards, ask a question to, etc. There are exceptions, but it's a good starting point.

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Also, 試験に通る I thought the verb was intransitive, so I thought it would be が maybe.

This is a brilliant obvservation. If we were to use が , it would mean:

• J: 試験が通る
• E: 試験 is passing by (as in, "Mr. 試験 is passing by your desk")

So it's simply wrong unless you're talking about an entity called 試験 who is actually passing by.

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Let's remember the tip: "Consider using に when pointing to a target".

The target here is 試験. When we say "passed the exam", what did we do (verb) against the exam?

• We did not: "pass against the exam".

• We: "accomplished a result of passing, against the exam".

Therefore, the verb is not 通る. Accomplish (e.g. 結果を出す) is the hidden verb.

• 試験に 通過するという 結果を出す。
• Against (the target which is) exam, pass is the result I delivered.

↓ people like to cut down components, resulting with...

• 試験に 通過する (という結果を出す)。
• I passed the exam.