穴を穿つ · godan verb (-tsu)
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | 穴を穿つ | 穴を穿たない |
| Polite | 穴を穿ちます | 穴を穿ちません |
| Past polite | 穴を穿ちました | 穴を穿ちませんでした |
| Past | 穴を穿った | 穴を穿たなかった |
| Te-form | 穴を穿って | 穴を穿たないで |
| Desire | 穴を穿ちたい | 穴を穿ちたくない |
| Potential | 穴を穿てる | 穴を穿てない |
| Passive | 穴を穿たれる | 穴を穿たれない |
| Causative | 穴を穿たせる | 穴を穿たせない |
| Causative passive | 穴を穿たせられるalso 穴を穿たされる | 穴を穿たせられないalso 穴を穿たされない |
| Volitional | 穴を穿とう | |
| Polite volitional | 穴を穿ちましょう | |
| Imperative | 穴を穿て | 穴を穿つな |
| Conditional | 穴を穿てば | 穴を穿たなければ |
| Tara conditional | 穴を穿ったら | 穴を穿たなかったら |
find someone's weak spot; hit a sore point
Idiomatic use: to pinpoint a hidden weakness or sensitive point in an argument or person. The literal meaning 'to drill a hole' is rarely used in modern Japanese; the phrase is almost always figurative.
His remark really hit a sore point.
The question sharply exposed the opponent's contradiction.