The grammar pattern 抜きにして / 抜きで is used to express doing something without a particular element – leaving it out, skipping it, or setting it aside. It attaches to nouns and conveys the idea of removing or excluding something that would normally be included.
抜きで – "without"
is used when physically or practically leaving something out. It often refers to omitting an ingredient, a step, or a person.
。
I went to school without breakfast.
抜きにして – "setting aside" / "leaving out"
is used in a more abstract sense – setting aside formalities, jokes, personal feelings, etc. It has the nuance of "putting X aside" or "joking aside."
、。
Joking aside, please tell me the truth.
、。
Setting flattery aside, I want you to speak frankly.
抜きには / 抜きでは – "cannot do without"
When combined with は and a negative expression, the pattern takes on the meaning of "cannot do without" – emphasizing that something is indispensable.
。
This project cannot succeed without his cooperation.
Key notes
- The noun before is typically something that would normally be present or expected.
- tends to be more concrete and casual, while tends to be more abstract and slightly more formal.
- A related form also exists and functions similarly to .
Lingaku