〜抜く / 〜ぬく
nuku
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Meaning
do… through to the end / do… despite difficulty (persevere)
Verb stem + 抜く means "push through to the end no matter how hard it is": 走り抜く "run all the way", やり抜く "see it through", 耐え抜く "endure to the end". While 切る focuses on finishing, 抜く focuses on the struggle and determination along the way.
Speeches, sports, motivational writing, biographies: 最後までやり抜く. Also 考え抜く "think something through thoroughly". Not used for easy or routine actions.
Formation
V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.
Verb ます-stem + 抜く (Group 1 verb: 抜いた, 抜いて, 抜きます)Common: やり抜く, 走り抜く, 生き抜く, 考え抜く, 耐え抜く, 戦い抜く
Visual diagram
| Aspect | Focus | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜抜く | Perseverance through hardship | 苦しくてもやり抜く (see it through even if it's painful) |
| 〜切る | Complete, use up, to the extreme | 本を読み切る (finish the whole book) |
| 〜通す | Keep the same thing all the way | 一年間、無遅刻を通す (keep a perfect record all year) |
Natural examples
最後まで走り抜いた。
さいごまではしりぬいた。
I ran through to the very end.
Sports: ran to the very end.
苦しくてもやり抜くつもりだ。
くるしくてもやりぬくつもりだ。
Even if it's hard, I intend to see it through.
やり抜く = the set phrase for 'see it through'.
よく考え抜いて決めた。
よくかんがえぬいてきめた。
I thought it over thoroughly before deciding.
考え抜く = think through thoroughly (persistence of thought).
祖父は戦争の時代を生き抜いた人だ。
そふはせんそうのじだいをいきぬいたひとだ。
My grandfather is someone who survived the war years.
生き抜く = live through hardship.
厳しい練習に耐え抜いて、彼はプロになった。
きびしいれんしゅうにたえぬいて、かれはプロになった。
Having endured the harsh training to the end, he became a professional.
耐え抜く = endure to the end.
Similar grammar and the difference
Emphasises completion or using everything up, not effort. 読み切る (finish reading) vs 読み抜く (rare). Compare side by side
〜通す
'Carry through consistently' (やり通す is close to やり抜く; 隠し通す = keep hidden all the way).
〜続ける
Neutral continuation, no sense of difficulty.
Common mistakes
- ✗
- 毎朝コーヒーを飲み抜く。
- ✓
- 毎朝コーヒーを飲む。
- Why
- 抜く needs a hard or long task; routine actions do not take it.
- ✗
- やる抜く
- ✓
- やり抜く
- Why
- 抜く attaches to the ます-stem (やり), not the dictionary form.
- ✗
- ご飯を食べ抜いた。(meaning 'ate it all')
- ✓
- ご飯を食べ切った。
- Why
- Finishing food is completion, so 切る is right; 抜く would suggest a heroic struggle.
抜く also has independent meanings: 'pull out' (歯を抜く), 'skip' (朝食を抜く), 'overtake' (前の車を抜く). Only the compound use is covered here. The set 最後までやり抜く appears in speeches and slogans. 考え抜いた末に 'after thinking it through' is a common narrative phrase.
JLPT N3 tips
On the exam
- Keywords such as 最後まで, 苦しくても, 厳しい, あきらめずに point to 抜く.
- If the verb is about eating, reading or using up, the answer is 切る rather than 抜く.
- Only a limited set of verbs takes 抜く; when unsure, choose it with やる, 走る, 生きる, 考える, 耐える, 戦う.
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜抜く / 〜ぬく mean?
do… through to the end / do… despite difficulty (persevere). Verb stem + 抜く means "push through to the end no matter how hard it is": 走り抜く "run all the way", やり抜く "see it through", 耐え抜く "endure to the end". While 切る focuses on finishing, 抜く focuses on the struggle and determination along the way.
How do you form 〜抜く / 〜ぬく?
Verb ます-stem + 抜く (Group 1 verb: 抜いた, 抜いて, 抜きます) / Common: やり抜く, 走り抜く, 生き抜く, 考え抜く, 耐え抜く, 戦い抜く. V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.
When is 〜抜く / 〜ぬく used?
Speeches, sports, motivational writing, biographies: 最後までやり抜く. Also 考え抜く "think something through thoroughly". Not used for easy or routine actions.
What is the difference between 〜抜く / 〜ぬく and 〜切る?
Emphasises completion or using everything up, not effort. 読み切る (finish reading) vs 読み抜く (rare).
What is the difference between 〜抜く / 〜ぬく and 〜通す?
'Carry through consistently' (やり通す is close to やり抜く; 隠し通す = keep hidden all the way).
What is a common mistake with 〜抜く / 〜ぬく?
Wrong: 毎朝コーヒーを飲み抜く。 Right: 毎朝コーヒーを飲む。 抜く needs a hard or long task; routine actions do not take it.
Quick check
どんなに苦しくても、この仕事は最後まで（ ）つもりだ。