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抜きにして
N2 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today
nuki ni shite
without; leaving out; cutting out~
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抜きにして
nuki ni shite
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without; leaving out; cutting out~
N2
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📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level N2
Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage
Reading nuki ni shite
Post ID 51114
Patterns today 0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes

without; leaving out; cutting out~

📖 How to use it

Expresses doing something without including or considering a particular thing, often to emphasize the core matter.

Attaches to Attach to nouns directly: [noun] + 抜きにして. Also used as 抜きにしては (without... cannot) and 抜きで (as a casual equivalent in speech).

This pattern means 'without (doing) X' or 'setting aside X', and it is used when you want to emphasize that something is done directly, without the usual preliminaries or considerations. It often appears in expressions like 冗談抜きにして (jokes aside) or 前置き抜きにして (without preamble). When the noun is an action, it can imply skipping that action entirely, like 議論抜きにして (without discussion).

A common use is with は to say 'without X, (something else) is impossible/doesn't happen': (noun) 抜きにしては + negative or potential form. For example, 彼女抜きにしては成功しなかった (without her, we wouldn't have succeeded). This pattern is rather formal and often found in speeches or written Japanese, but also used in everyday conversation with set phrases.

In speech, you might hear 抜きで instead, which is lighter and more colloquial: 前置き抜きで話そう (let's talk without preamble). But 抜きにして is fine in both spoken and written when you want a bit of weight.

冗談抜きにして、彼は本当にすごいよ。
Joudan nuki ni shite, kare wa hontouni sugoi yo.
Jokes aside, he is really amazing.
敬語抜きにして、率直に意見を聞かせてください。
Keigo nuki ni shite, socchoku ni iken o kikasete kudasai.
Please speak frankly without honorifics.
彼女の協力抜きにしては、この計画は成功しなかっただろう。
Kanojo no kyouryoku nuki ni shite wa, kono keikaku wa seikou shinakatta darou.
Without her cooperation, this plan probably would not have succeeded.
Not を抜きにして (with を) vs 抜きにして (without を) The noun can be marked with を (e.g., 冗談を抜きにして) but を is often omitted. This is not a different pattern; it's the same. More confusing is ぬきで vs ぬきにして: ぬきで is more casual and often used in requests like 前置きぬきで話そう. Also, don't confuse with なしで (nashi de) which also means 'without' but is neutral and can be used with any noun, while 抜きにして often implies 'setting aside a usual thing' or 'skipping a step'.
Register Slightly formal; common in speeches, announcements, and written Japanese, but also used in conversation with set phrases like 冗談抜きにして.
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抜きにして
📚 How to Master This Pattern
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Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat 抜きにして three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
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Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using 抜きにして. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern 抜きにして mean? ▼
Without; leaving out; cutting out~
What JLPT level is 抜きにして? ▼
Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N2 — Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use 抜きにして in a sentence? ▼
Attach 抜きにして (nuki ni shite) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is 抜きにして formal or casual Japanese? ▼
抜きにして is used in formal or written contexts. You will see it mainly in written texts, news, business Japanese and academic contexts.
How can I remember 抜きにして long-term? ▼
Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.