1.
to expose; to reveal; to unmask
To bring hidden wrongdoing, secrets, or lies to light.
不正を暴く。
To expose corruption.
嘘を暴かれて、彼は黙り込んだ。
When his lies were exposed, he fell silent.
記者が政治家の不正を暴いた。
The journalist exposed the politician's corruption.
2.
to dig up; to exhume
To disturb or open something that was buried or concealed.
墓を暴く。
To dig up a grave.
盗掘者が古墳を暴いた。
Grave robbers dug up the ancient tomb.
考古学者たちは遺跡を暴いて貴重な土器を発見した。
The archaeologists unearthed the ruins and discovered precious pottery.
暴く is a transitive verb (他動詞). The intransitive counterpart is 暴かれる (passive: to be exposed).
ASPECT ({ている}):
暴いている indicates an ongoing process of exposing something.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- 不正を暴く - to expose corruption
- 嘘を暴く - to unmask lies
- 真実を暴く - to reveal the truth
- 秘密を暴く - to expose a secret
- 正体を暴く - to unmask someone's true identity
NUANCE:
This verb is typically used in serious contexts involving wrongdoing or hidden truths. It carries a sense of forcefully bringing something shameful or secret into the open.