抜本(ばっぽん)

Etymology

抜(ばつ) (pull out) + 本(ぽん) (root): pulling a problem out by the roots.

Usage

Almost always used as 抜本的(ばっぽんてき) (fundamental, drastic), a na-adjective typical of news, politics and business.

Common collocations

• 抜本的(ばっぽんてき)な改革(かいかく): fundamental reform
• 抜本的(ばっぽんてき)な対策(たいさく): drastic measures
• 抜本的(ばっぽんてき)な見直(みなお)し: a fundamental review
• 抜本的(ばっぽんてき)に解決(かいけつ)する: to solve at the root

Similar words

• 根本的(こんぽんてき): fundamental (describes the nature of a problem; 抜本的(ばっぽんてき) describes the remedy)
• Opposite: 対症療法(たいしょうりょうほう)的(てき), treating only the symptoms

Related words

• 抜本塞源(ばっぽんそくげん): to remove the cause of evil at its root (four-character idiom)