Meaning

Primary

To Pull Something Out

Alternative

To Pluck

Word Type

transitive verb, godan verb

Explanation

Because the hiragana ends with an  sound, you know this word is a verb. The kanji itself means pull out so the verb vocab version is to pull something out.

This word often implies that the pulling out requires force or effort. It's a pretty versatile word, and can also cover things like letting the air out of something, draining the water out of something, and even overtaking someone or pulling through difficulties.

Reading

ぬく
  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

The reading is the same as the one you learned with the kanji. Just go ahead and extract it out of your memory so you can use it here.

Context

Context Sentences

ワサビ抜きにしてもらえますか?

Can you leave out the wasabi?

トゲを抜きたいんだけど、ピンセットどこにあるか知らない?

I want to pull out a splinter, do you know where the tweezers are?

今日は親知らずを一気に四本抜きました。ワインのコルクを抜くみたいに、ポンッと抜けたよ!

Today I had four wisdom teeth extracted at once. They popped out like pulling a cork out of a bottle of wine!

いやー、まさかお前が一位のランナーを抜くことができるとは!びっくりだよ。

Well, I never thought you could overtake the first place runner! I'm surprised.

エアマットレスの空気を抜くのに気を取られて、バスタブの水を抜くの忘れてた。

I was so preoccupied with airing out the air mattress that I forgot to drain the water from the bathtub.

Kanji Composition