抜く
All~, Completely, See through, Overcome, To the bitter end
Structure
Explanation
When appended to the ます-stem of a verb, the う-Verb 抜く, which means 'to pull out', expresses that an action (A) is carried out 'until the very end'. This nuance implies that the action was difficult, but the person persevered and saw it through to completion, often overcoming a great challenge.
The feeling of 抜く is similar to the English idea of 'seeing something through' or 'sticking with it', emphasizing endurance and the successful completion of a difficult endeavor. Let's examine some sentences where 抜く is used.
- 長いレースを走り抜いた。I ran the long race to the finish.
- 彼は最後まであきらめずに戦い抜いた。He fought on to the very end without giving up.
- この大変な仕事を一人でやり抜くのは難しい。It is difficult to get through this tough job all by myself.
In a different sense, 抜く can also describe an action that is done to an extreme or exhaustive degree. This usage feels less like 'enduring until the end' and more like 'exhaustively' or 'in great detail'. This meaning is often seen with verbs that do not have a natural endpoint, such as 悩む 'to be worried about'.
- 彼女と結婚するかどうか、一週間悩み抜いた。I agonized for a whole week over whether or not to marry her.
- 彼はこの町のことなら、何でも知り抜いている。When it comes to this town, he knows absolutely everything there is to know.
Although these meanings seem distinct, verbs combined with 抜く in this manner are still seen as being done to a 'complete' state, where nothing more can be done. In the case of 'to worry about', it implies one has worried as much as they possibly can before reaching a conclusion.
Caution
Generally, ぬく is used when the action involves some kind of difficulty or struggle. Furthermore, unlike きる, ぬく is almost exclusively applied to actions performed by humans. In contrast, きる can be used naturally for both human actions and the functions or states of inanimate objects and other events.
- このプリンターでは、その書類を印刷しぬけない。This printer cannot finish printing that document. (Unnatural Japanese)
- このプリンターでは、その書類を印刷し切れない。This printer cannot finish printing that document. (Natural Japanese)
Examples
じっくりと考え抜いた末に、会社を辞めることにした。
After thinking it through thoroughly, I decided to quit my job.
彼女は一週間悩み抜いて、ようやく答えを出した。
She agonized over it for a whole week before finally coming to a decision.
厳しいトーナメントを勝ち抜いて、優勝した。
They fought their way through a tough tournament and won the championship.
どんなことがあっても、生涯君を愛し抜くと誓います。
I swear that no matter what happens, I will love you for the rest of my life (to the very end).
このレストランでは、選び抜かれた最高の食材だけを使っている。
At this restaurant, they only use the finest, carefully selected ingredients.
道に迷い、携帯の充電も切れて、困り抜いてしまった。
I got lost and my phone battery died, so I was in a real bind. (completely stuck)
喉の調子が悪かったが、彼女は全曲を歌い抜いた。
Although her throat wasn't in good condition, she sang every song to the end.
この分厚い小説を読み抜くのは大変だった。
It was tough to get through this thick novel. (read completely)
嵐の中、彼は海峡を泳ぎ抜いた。
He swam all the way across the channel in the middle of a storm.
父は家族のために定年まで働き抜いた。
My father worked tirelessly for his family until retirement age.
主役の俳優は、最後までその難しい役を演じ抜いた。
The lead actor saw the difficult role through to the end.
彼はその秘密を生涯隠し抜いた。
He kept that secret hidden for his entire life.