noun
secret passage; underground passage; escape tunnel
A hidden or secret passage, often underground, used for escape or covert movement.
城には敵に気づかれずに外へ出られる抜け穴があった。
The castle had a secret passage that allowed one to get outside without being noticed by the enemy.
noun
loophole; gap in the rules
A figurative gap or flaw in a system, law, or argument that allows one to circumvent restrictions.
This law has many loopholes and may be exploited.
noun
hole to pass through; opening; gap
A literal hole or opening that one can pass through, such as in a fence or wall.
塀に小さな抜け穴があって、猫が出入りしている。
There is a small hole in the wall that the cat uses to go in and out.
Compound of 抜け (nuke, 'escaping' or 'passing through') and 穴 (ana, 'hole'). The figurative sense of 'loophole' developed from the literal idea of a hidden passage.