Japanese grammar
What does ～抜く mean? Japanese grammar N1
～抜く means do… all the way to the end; persist through.
| Level (estimated, JLPT framework) | N1 |
|---|---|
| Structure | Vます形 + 抜く |
| Romaji | nuku |
| Meaning | do… all the way to the end; persist through |
Forming it
| Verb (masu-stem) | 走り + 抜く / 考え + 抜く |
|---|
How to use it
A suffix attached to the MASU-STEM: persisting to the very end, overcoming hardship. Emphasizes willpower.
- 「Vます形＋抜く」 = doing that thing THROUGH TO THE END, overcoming difficulty: 「走り抜く」 (run all the way to the finish), 「考え抜く」 (think something through exhaustively).
- Emphasizes WILLPOWER and an arduous process, unlike 「～きる」 (finish doing, emphasizing full completion).
- Do NOT confuse it with the standalone verb 「抜く」 (to pull out) — see 「～を抜いて」.
Examples
彼は苦しいレースを走り抜いた。
He ran the grueling race all the way to the finish.
考え抜いた末に、この結論に達した。
After thinking it through exhaustively, I reached this conclusion.
Keep in mind
- Attaches to the MASU-STEM, not to a noun.
- Emphasizes persevering through difficulty.
Common mistakes
-
Wrong彼は仕事を終わらせぬいた。
He finished the work all the way through.
Correct彼は仕事をやり抜いた。
「抜く」 attaches to the masu-stem of a verb denoting a PROLONGED PROCESS (走る, 考える, やる), not a verb denoting COMPLETION (終わらせる).
-
Wrong砂糖を抜くコーヒーを飲む。
I drink coffee without sugar.
Correct砂糖を抜いたコーヒーを飲む。
The suffix 「～抜く」 (to do through to the end) differs from the verb 「抜く」 (to remove) — pay attention to context.
Exam tips
- 「Vます形＋抜く」 = doing something through to the end despite difficulty; different from 「きる」 (completion) and the verb 「抜く」 (to remove).