貫く
つらぬく
verb (godan, transitive)
to pierce through; to carry through; to stick to
Conjugation
| Affirmative | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| Present | 貫く | 貫かない |
| Present polite | 貫きます | 貫きません |
| Past | 貫いた | 貫かなかった |
| Past polite | 貫きました | 貫きませんでした |
| て form | 貫いて | 貫かなくて |
| ている present | 貫いている | 貫いていない |
| ている polite | 貫いています | 貫いていません |
| ている past | 貫いていた | 貫いていなかった |
| ている past polite | 貫いていました | 貫いていませんでした |
| Conditional ば | 貫けば | 貫かなければ |
| Conditional たら | 貫いたら | 貫かなかったら |
| Volitional | 貫こう | — |
| Volitional polite | 貫きましょう | — |
| Potential | 貫ける | 貫けない |
| Passive | 貫かれる | 貫かれない |
| Causative | 貫かせる | 貫かせない |
| Imperative | 貫け | 貫くな |
1.
to pierce through; to penetrate
To pass completely through something from one side to the other. Used for physical objects like arrows, bullets, or roads that run through an area.
2.
to carry through; to stick to; to persist in
To maintain a belief, principle, or course of action without wavering. Implies strong determination and consistency.
貫く has both a physical sense (piercing through) and a figurative sense (persisting in). The figurative sense is more common in everyday usage.
Transitivity
ASPECT (ている):
貫いている indicates an ongoing state of maintaining a position or belief.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS (figurative):
- 信念を貫く: stick to one's beliefs
- 意志を貫く: carry through one's will
- 沈黙を貫く: maintain silence
- 姿勢を貫く: keep one's stance
Intensified form
貫き通す adds emphasis, meaning to see something through to the very end despite obstacles.
Related Words
Compare:
突き刺る (to pierce, to stick into)
Compare:
突き刺さる (to pierce)
Compare:
押し通す (to push through)
Compare:
突き抜ける (to pierce through)
Compare:
貫徹する (to carry out thoroughly)
Compare:
貫き通す (to persist with)