Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Pull" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "pull", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
引っ張る
ひっぱる (hipparu)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
抜く
ぬく (nuku)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "pull" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 引っ張る and 抜く.
In Japanese, 引っ張る (ひっぱる (hipparu)) is typically associated with "to pull; to stretch; to drag" (Syllabus Level: N4) and represents Used when applying force to draw something towards oneself or to stretch something. Often used for physical actions or to delay/prolong something.
On the other hand, 抜く (ぬく (nuku)) maps to "to pull out, to extract, to omit, to skip" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents Transitive verb. Can refer to physically pulling something out. A literal translation of "pull" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "引っ張る"
ドアの取っ手を引っ張ってください。
Please pull the door handle.
Bilingual Context for "抜く"
歯医者で虫歯を抜いてもらった。
I had a cavity pulled out at the dentist.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "ドアの取っ手を引っ張ってください。" (Meaning: "Please pull the door handle.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "引っ張る" fits here because it means "to pull; to stretch; to drag" in the context of: "Please pull the door handle.". "抜く" represents "to pull out, to extract, to omit, to skip".