くぐり抜ける

• Reading: くぐりぬける
• Romaji: kugurinukeru
• Kanji breakdown: 抜 (batsu/nu) — to pull out, pass through
• Pronunciation: /kɯ.ɡɯ.ɾi.nɯ.ke.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To get through; to pass through a tight spot; to survive; to slip through. Implies emerging on the other side of something constricting.

A Group 2 (ichidan) compound verb combining くぐる (to go under or through) and 抜ける (to pass through, emerge). Used both literally — squeezing through a narrow gap or crawling under a fence — and figuratively for overcoming hardship, danger, or bureaucratic obstacles. The nuance of just barely making it through is often present.

Examples

1. 彼女はいくつもの困難をくぐり抜けて今の地位に就いた。 She made it through numerous hardships to reach her current position.
2. 激しい競争をくぐり抜けた選手だけが決勝に進める。 Only those athletes who have come through fierce competition can advance to the final.
3. 狭い路地をくぐり抜けると、広場に出た。 After squeezing through a narrow alleyway, we emerged into a square.

Usage Guide

Context: hardship, survival, competition, navigation

Tone: determined

Origin & History

Compound of くぐる (to go under) and 抜ける (to pass through and emerge). The combination emphasises not just passage but emergence from something that constricted or enclosed.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal