解ときほどく

Meanings

1

godan verb (-ku), transitive verb

unravel; unpick; unstitch

Physically undoing stitches, knots, or tangled threads; often used for sewing or knitting.

セーターを解ときほどいて、毛け糸いとに戻もどした。
I unraveled the sweater and turned it back into yarn.

2

godan verb (-ku), transitive verb

explain in detail; unravel (a problem)

Metaphorical use: to carefully explain or analyze something complex, like untangling a difficult issue.

彼かれは複ふく雑ざつな理り論ろんを解ときほどいて説せつ明めいした。
He explained the complex theory by unraveling it step by step.

Written forms

解ときほどくUsage100%
Standard spelling using 解き (toki) and ほどく (hodoku).
解とき解ほどく
Alternate spelling using 解く for the second part; less common and may cause reading ambiguity.

Kanji

解unravel, notes, key

Similar words

ほどく
ほどく alone means 'to untie' or 'to undo' (knots, strings, etc.). 解きほどく emphasizes a more thorough or careful process of unraveling, often with a nuance of taking apart something that was constructed.
解とく
解く (とく) is a broader verb meaning 'to solve', 'to untie', or 'to dissolve'. 解きほどく specifically focuses on the action of unraveling or detailed explanation, combining the ideas of 解く and ほどく.

Etymology

Compound of 解き (toki, continuative form of 解く 'to untie/solve') and ほどく (hodoku 'to undo/unfasten'). The combination reinforces the idea of carefully undoing or explaining something in detail.