抜く
🃏 Flashcard
抜く
nuku
Tap to reveal usage
from beginning to end; completely
N2
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N2
Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage
Reading
nuku
Post ID
51115
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
from beginning to end; completely
📖 How to use it
V-ます-stem + 抜く expresses doing an action completely, thoroughly, from start to finish, often with a sense of perseverance or extremity.
Attaches to
Attach to the ます-stem (連用形) of a verb, e.g., やり抜く, 走り抜く, 考え抜く. The pattern is V-ます-stem + 抜く.
This pattern emphasizes that an action is carried out to the very end, without giving up or leaving anything incomplete. It often implies effort, endurance, or going all the way. For example, やり抜く means to do something through to the end, even if it's tough. 考え抜く means to think something through completely, leaving no stone unturned. The meaning is stronger than just doing the action; it adds a nuance of 'to the utmost' or 'thoroughly'.
最後まで走り抜いた。
Saigo made hashiri nuita.
I ran all the way to the end.
この問題を考え抜いて、やっと答えが出た。
Kono mondai o kangaenuite, yatto kotae ga deta.
After thinking this problem through thoroughly, I finally got the answer.
彼はどんな困難にも負けずに、自分の信念を貫き抜いた。
Kare wa donna konnan ni mo makezu ni, jibun no shinnen o tsuranuki nuita.
He endured without yielding to any hardship and carried through his convictions to the end.
Not ～切る
Both express completion, but ～切る often means 'to cut off' or 'to do completely' with a sense of finality, e.g., 使い切る (use up). 抜く stresses persistence and going through to the end, often with effort, while 切る can be more neutral. For actions of enduring, 抜く is more natural.
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This pattern is used in both spoken and written Japanese, but it often appears in formal or literary contexts, especially when describing someone's determination or thorough effort. In casual conversation, you might hear it, but it carries a serious tone.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
抜く
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat 抜く three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using 抜く. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N2 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern 抜く mean?
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From beginning to end; completely
What JLPT level is 抜く?
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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 抜く in a sentence?
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Attach 抜く (nuku) 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 抜く formal or casual Japanese?
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抜く 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 抜く long-term?
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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.