通読

• Reading: つうどく
• Romaji: tsūdoku
• Kanji breakdown: 通 (tsū/kayō) — through, thoroughly, pass; 読 (doku/yo) — read
• Pronunciation: /tsɯː.do.kɯ/

Meaning

Reading through from beginning to end; perusal; reading a text in its entirety without pausing for detailed analysis.

Used as a noun and する-verb (通読する). Implies a complete, uninterrupted reading for overall comprehension, as opposed to selective or close reading. Common in academic and editorial contexts where checking the whole flow of a text is necessary before deeper engagement. In proofreading, 通読 is the first-pass check for overall coherence.

Examples

1. 原稿の通読を終えて、全体の流れに問題がないか確認した。 After reading the manuscript through from start to finish, I checked whether the overall flow had any issues.
2. まず通読して大意をつかんでから、細部を分析するのが効率的だ。 It is more efficient to first read through the entire text to grasp the general meaning and then analyze the details.
3. 千ページを超える大作を通読するのに一ヶ月かかった。 It took me a month to read through the massive work of over a thousand pages.

Usage Guide

Context: reading, study, academia, editing, proofreading

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 通 (to pass through, thoroughly) and 読 (to read). The 通 prefix indicates completion or thoroughness, as in 通過 (passage through) or 通じる (to be understood throughout).

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Students and scholars

Social background: Educated