STRUCTURE
V-ます stem＋抜く
苦しくても最後までやりとおす。困難に耐える含み
HOW TO USE IT
- 抜く attaches to the ます-stem of a verb: 走り抜く (from 走る), 耐え抜く (from 耐える). 抜く conjugates as a Group I verb (抜いて, 抜いた).
- It is used when someone carries a hard, demanding task through to the end without giving up.
- It usually goes with verbs like 走る, 耐える, 生きる, やる. The sentence often carries praise or admiration.
- Unlike ～きる, which stresses finishing completely, not necessarily with hardship, ～抜く usually implies pushing through difficulty, or doing something thoroughly (考え抜く).
WATCH OUT
×このケーキはおいしかったので、全部食べ抜いた。
○このケーキはおいしかったので、全部食べきった。
Finishing an amount without hardship takes ～きる. 抜く needs a sense of enduring difficulty.
×42キロを走って抜いた。
○42キロを走り抜いた。
抜く attaches to the ます-stem, not the て-form. 走って抜いた would mean "ran and overtook (someone)".
Examples
苦しかったが、最後まで走り抜くことができた。
くるしかったが、さいごまではしりぬくことができた。
It was gruelling, but I ran it through to the finish.
祖父は戦争の時代を生き抜いた人です。
そふはせんそうのじだいをいきぬいたひとです。
My grandfather is someone who lived through the war years.
一度始めたことは、最後までやり抜くつもりです。
いちどはじめたことは、さいごまでやりぬくつもりです。
Once I start something, I intend to see it through to the end.
Often confused with
How each pair differs, with the exam trap in context, is in the Toey lesson.
Practise ～抜く with drills and review
Start free with N5. N2 drills, audio and review are in JLPT Pro.
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