penetrate

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 徹 has 15 strokes and the on-reading てつ. 徹底 (てってい) means thoroughness, while 徹夜 (てつや) means staying up all night.
• Basic usage: 徹底 focuses on carrying something out thoroughly; 徹夜 focuses on the time spent awake through the night.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Thoroughness and an all-nighter
  • 清掃を徹底している means cleaning thoroughly. 安全確認を徹底する means carrying out safety checks thoroughly, and the reading of 徹底 includes a small っ.
  • 徹夜して仕上げた means stayed up all night to finish something. 徹夜で働いた翌日 is the day after working through the night, and 徹夜 is read てつや.