を押して / を押し切って means to overcome (opposition); to push past ~. They are JLPT N1 Japanese grammar patterns used to express that someone acts despite resistance, difficulties, or objections — often with a sense of determination or defiance.
These grammar points appear often in formal writing, news articles, and high-level reading passages. If you want to say that someone persevered in the face of opposition or physical obstacles, を押して or を押し切って are patterns you need to learn.
What does を押して / を押し切って mean?
Use を押して or を押し切って when someone pushes past an obstacle, ignores opposition, or acts in spite of hardship. The obstacle is usually a noun (e.g., opposition, illness, fatigue, objections).
Natural translations include:
- to overcome (opposition); to push past ~
- in defiance of …; despite …
- to force one’s way through …
The nuance: を押して often focuses on the action of pushing through while the obstacle is still present, while を押し切って implies a completed, forceful override — often overriding other people’s will. Choose based on how final and defiant the action is.
How to form を押して / を押し切って
The pattern attaches to a noun that represents the obstacle.
Common obstacles used with these patterns:
- 反対 (はんたい) — opposition
- 病気 (びょうき) — illness
- 疲れ (つかれ) — fatigue
- 困難 (こんなん) — hardship
- 周囲の反対 (しゅういのはんたい) — objections from those around you
When is を押して / を押し切って used?
Use these patterns in situations like:
- describing someone who acts despite strong objections from others
- narrating a decision that goes against advice or warnings
- explaining how a person continued working despite illness or fatigue
- showing determination or a forceful attitude
Tone and register:
- slightly formal; common in written Japanese, news reports, and formal speeches
- less common in casual daily chat unless you are telling a dramatic story
- を押し切って is stronger and more conclusive than を押して
を押して / を押し切って example sentences
After reading each sentence, ask yourself: what obstacle is being pushed aside? That focus helps you feel the defiance these patterns carry.
Nuance of を押して / を押し切って
The key nuance is action in the face of resistance, but there is a difference in strength:
- を押して — the obstacle is present, and the person acts despite it; the focus is on the effort, not necessarily the final outcome.
- を押し切って — the speaker implies that the resistance was fully overcome, often by force of will. It conveys a conclusion: “they pushed it through, and the opposition lost.”
Because of this, を押し切って frequently appears when describing overriding someone’s objection, while を押して can be used for physical obstacles like fatigue or illness.
を押して / を押し切って vs をものともせず
Both を押して / を押し切って and をものともせず express defiance of an obstacle, but they differ in attitude.
If you can replace the noun with a person’s opinion or physical strain, を押して is natural. If it’s an external force like weather or danger, をものともせず fits better.
Common mistakes with を押して / を押し切って
に is incorrect; the obstacle must be marked with を.
Contradictory: 押し切って signals you overcame it, so “gave up in the end” clashes.
Rain is not typically something you “push against” with willpower; を押して sounds odd here.
Is を押して / を押し切って on the JLPT?
Appears in: Reading passages, grammar-choice questions, and sometimes listening scripts where formal announcements are made.
Typical format: A sentence with a blank for the particle and verb phrase, or a paraphrasing task. You need to recognize the nuance of defiance and forced action.
Test tip: Remember the noun must be marked with を. When you see 反対 or 病気 followed by を, the correct completion is often 押して or 押し切って.
Practice questions for を押して / を押し切って
Learning path for を押して / を押し切って
Related grammar to review next
- を踏まえて — because it also marks a basis for action, but with a sense of “based on,” not defiance.
- を経て — because it also uses the particle を, but focuses on passing through stages, not opposition.
- を控えて — because it also follows an event or situation, but means “with ~ ahead,” not overcoming.
- をいいことに — because it attaches to a noun and expresses using a situation to one’s advantage, showing a different type of manipulation with を.
Learn を押して / を押し切って with Hane
If you want to review を押して / を押し切って together with the patterns above, Hane helps you practice Japanese in short, focused sessions.
Browse more lessons here:
FAQ about を押して / を押し切って
What does を押して / を押し切って (o oshite / o oshikitte) mean in Japanese?
を押して / を押し切って (o oshite / o oshikitte) means “to overcome (opposition); to push past”. It is JLPT N1 grammar. Use を押して or を押し切って when someone pushes past an obstacle, ignores opposition, or acts in spite of hardship. The obstacle is usually a noun (e.g., opposition, illness, fatigue, objections).
How do you form を押して / を押し切って (o oshite / o oshikitte)?
The pattern attaches to a noun that represents the obstacle.
What is the difference between を押して / を押し切って and をものともせず?
を押して / を押し切って: pushing through with determination, often against people’s will. をものともせず: paying no mind to the obstacle; undaunted.
What is an example sentence with を押して / を押し切って (o oshite / o oshikitte)?
反対を押し切って、新しい制度を導入した。 — They pushed through opposition and introduced the new system.