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The verb `触れる` challenges my concept of what を does; to mark a direct object.

Consider these [uses of
触れる](http://eow.alc.co.jp/%E3%82%92%E8%A7%A6%E3%82%8C/UTF-8/):

> （人）の頬に指を **触れる** (Touch a finger to someone's cheek)
>
> （人）の頬に手を **触れる** (Touch someone's cheek with your hand)

Now, if transitivity of the verb were not taken into account, I would guess
that it's the finger or hand that is being touched since they are marked by
the direct object marker `を`. But because I know that `触れる` is intransitive, I
understand that the object is marked by `に` instead.

**(Question)** What is the role of `を` when used in the above type of pattern?
Should the particle be `で` instead since `指`/`手` are the "means" by which the
action was carried out?
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grammar particle-に particle-を
Use of に and を with 触れる
Just think that 触れる is "to shake, agitate, stir, displace" or something like
that.

> (人）の頬に手を触れる

I displace my hand to the chin of a person -> I touch the chin of a person.
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2011-11-14T08:48:27.683
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My daijirin lists both an intransitive and transitive form of the verb 触れる.

I suspect this is just a mismatch between the Japanese verb and it's closest
English equivalent. The verb is something more like 'move-to-be-in-contact-
with', so the direct object is the part of the body you're moving.
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