徹底

• Reading: てってい
• Romaji: tettei
• Kanji breakdown: 徹 (tetsu) — penetrate, go through; 底 (tei) — bottom, base
• Pronunciation: /tet.teː/

Meaning

Thoroughness; completeness. Doing something thoroughly or enforcing something strictly.

A noun that also functions as a suru verb (徹底する, to be thorough/to enforce thoroughly). Used in two main patterns: 徹底的に (thoroughly, as an adverb) and Xを徹底する (to enforce/ensure X completely). Common in workplace and institutional contexts: 安全管理を徹底する (enforce safety management thoroughly), 徹底的に調べる (investigate thoroughly). Carries a sense of leaving no room for error.

Examples

1. 衛生管理を徹底するように指示された。 We were instructed to strictly enforce hygiene management.
2. 問題の原因を徹底的に調べた。 We thoroughly investigated the cause of the problem.
3. 新しいマニュアルの内容を全員に徹底させた。 We made sure every employee fully understood the new manual.

Usage Guide

Context: business, safety, management

Tone: authoritative

Origin & History

Compound of 徹 (tetsu, to penetrate/go through) and 底 (tei, bottom). Together, 'penetrating to the bottom' — doing something so completely that it reaches the very foundation.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal