Translation guide
How to express the action of forcefully removing something, especially an eye, or creating a hole or groove by digging or scooping.
He gouged out his enemy's eye.
Literally 'hollow out the eye'. Also common, with a nuance of removing the eyeball entirely.
The monster gouged out his eye.
Verb meaning to gouge, scoop out, or hollow out. Can be used with 目を, but the compound verbs above are more natural for eyes.
He gouged out the eye with his finger.
To make a deep hole, trench, or channel by digging, scooping, or forceful removal of material.
General verb for gouging, scooping, or hollowing out. Works for wood, earth, etc.
He gouged out the wood to make a bowl.
The river is gouging out the bank.
To hollow out, scoop out, or bore a hole. Often used for making a hole through something or carving out a cavity.
Means to shave, scrape, or whittle. Can be used for gouging out material in a more gradual, shaving manner.
To dig out or extract something stuck or embedded, like a stone from a hoof or a splinter.
えぐる emphasizes the scooping or gouging action, often with a sense of force or violence. くり抜く focuses on hollowing out or creating a cavity, and is more neutral. For eyes, both are used, but えぐり出す is more graphic.
gouge out an eye (violent)
gouge out an eye (removing the eyeball)
カボチャをくり抜いてランタンを作る。
Gouge out a pumpkin to make a lantern.
彼はナイフで木を削って形を整えた。
He gouged out the wood with a knife to shape it.
He gouged out the splinter with his finger.