832 - を抜きにして(をぬきにして)

JLPT N2: を抜きにして(をぬきにして // leaving out; omitting; without; aside

The verb 抜く (ぬく) can mean a lot of things: "to extract," "to omit," "to draw out," "to unplug," etc.

When it appears in the phrase を抜きにして (をぬきにして), it means something like "leaving out," "omitting," "without," "aside," etc.

You'll find that it's often used when "putting aside" something that would usually be included. For example, "flattery" is being left out in the following sentence:

お世辞を抜きにして、こんなにおいしいオムレツは食べたことがありません。
おせじ をぬきにして、 こんな に おいしい オムレツ は たべた ことがありません。
All flattery aside, this is most delicious omelet I’ve ever eaten.
Literally: “flattery / compliments + を + leaving out / omitting, + this much + tasty / delicious + omelet + は + haven’t eaten (=ate + thing + が + don’t have / there isn’t).”

 

We don't always need to put before 抜きにして. It is also possible to say 抜きにして.

You're at a company 飲み会 (のみかい), and the boss tells everyone...

今日は仕事のは抜きにして、わいわい楽しく飲みましょう。
きょう は しごと の はなし はぬきにして、 わいわい たのしく のみましょう。
Today let’s just leave out all the talk about work and have a great time drinking together. // Today let's set aside all discussions about work and just have a great time drinking together.
Literally: “today + は + work / job + の + talk / discussion + は + leaving out / omitting, + noisily / boisterously + enjoyably + let’s drink.”

 

You had a weird pain in your chest, and you got some tests done to find out what was causing it.

After a few sleepless nights, you're back at the doctor's office, ready to hear the results of the tests.

Your doctor goes on and on about all of this stuff related to the testing procedure, possible outcomes, etc.

You can't take the waiting anymore! You say:


無駄な前置きは抜きにして、早く結果を教えてください。
むだな まえおき はぬきにして、 はやく けっか を おしえて ください。
Could you please skip all of this pointless stuff and just tell me the results.
Literally: “pointless / useless + preface / preamble + は + leaving out / omitting, + quickly + result + を + teach / tell (and) + please.”


Good news: You're healthy. It was nothing!

 

👷 Construction 👷

You already figured this one out, right?

It's:

NOUNを抜きにして
NOUNは抜きにして

 

Sometimes を抜きにして will be used when talking about something that is important, crucial, or valued for a particular situation.

For example...

モンゴル帝国を抜きにして世界史は語れない。
モンゴルていこく をぬきにして せかいし は かたれない。
You can't talk about world history without talking about the Mongol Empire.
Literally: “Mongol Empire + を + leaving out / omitting + world history + は + cannot tell / cannot narrate.”


...but we're going to talk about this more in-depth in our next N2 lesson, which will look at を抜きにして.

 

Finished!
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