抜ぬき去さる

ぬ

き

さ

る

Meanings

1

godan verb (-ru), transitive verb

Used for surpassing others in a race, competition, or figurative progress; emphasizes pulling ahead and leaving others behind.

最さい終しゅうコーナーで彼かれは前まえのランナーを抜ぬき去さった。
He overtook the runner ahead of him at the final corner.

新しん技ぎ術じゅつが旧きゅう来らいの方ほう法ほうを一いっ気きに抜ぬき去さる可か能のう性せいがある。

New technology may quickly leave old methods behind.

2

godan verb (-ru), transitive verb

pull out; extract; remove

Rare, somewhat literary use for physically pulling something out or removing it. Modern Japanese more commonly uses 抜く or 取り除く.

古ふるい文ぶん献けんでは、刀かたなを抜ぬき去さるという表ひょう現げんが見みられる。
In old texts, the expression 'to draw a sword' can be found.

Kanji

抜slip out, extract, pull out
去gone, past, quit

Similar words

抜ぬく
抜く is the common verb for 'pull out' or 'extract'; 抜き去る is more specific to overtaking or leaving behind, and its 'remove' sense is rare.
追おい越こす
追い越す also means 'overtake' but is more general; 抜き去る emphasizes decisively pulling ahead and leaving behind.

Written forms

抜ぬき去さるUsage95%
Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
ぬきさるUsage5%
抜ぬきさる
Mixed kana spelling sometimes used for clarity or stylistic reasons.
抜ぬき去さる
Uncommon variant; the kanji 去 is normally written in kana in this compound.

Etymology

Compound of 抜き (continuative form of 抜く 'pull out, surpass') + 去る 'leave, go away'. The core meaning is 'pull out and go away', which developed into 'overtake and leave behind'.