脱却

• Reading: だっきゃく
• Romaji: dakkyaku
• Kanji breakdown: 脱 (datsu) — to shed, escape | 却 (kyaku) — to withdraw, step back
• Pronunciation: /dak.kja.kɯ/

Meaning

Escape; breaking free; getting rid of. The act of extricating oneself from a constraining situation, mindset, or habit.

A noun and suru verb (脱却する) conveying a deliberate and complete departure from something that was previously constraining or defining. Frequently collocates with 固定観念から (from fixed ideas), 過去から (from the past), or 停滞から (from stagnation). Implies not just leaving but a fundamental transformation — making it stronger than simply 抜け出す (to get out of).

Examples

1. 固定観念から脱却することが、革新的な発想の出発点になる。 Breaking free from fixed ideas is the starting point for innovative thinking.
2. 彼女は過去の失敗から脱却し、新たな一歩を力強く踏み出した。 She escaped from her past failures and took a bold new step forward.
3. 経済の長期停滞からの脱却を図るため、大胆な政策転換が求められている。 A drastic policy shift is being called for in order to break free from the prolonged economic stagnation.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, self-development, journalism, business

Tone: resolute

Origin & History

Compound of 脱 (datsu) meaning 'to shed, escape, remove' and 却 (kyaku) meaning 'to reject, withdraw, step back'. Together they evoke the image of decisively shedding something constraining and stepping away from it.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal