pierce

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The on reading is かん, and the kun reading is つらぬく. It has 11 strokes and relates to piercing something or carrying a principle through.
• Basic usage: 貫く is read つらぬく, and 一貫 is read いっかん.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 貫く / 一貫
  • 貫く means to carry through or to pierce. It is a transitive verb read つらぬく. It means to pierce something physically or to uphold a conviction to the end.
  • 彼女は最後まで自分の信念を貫いた。 means “She held to her convictions until the end.”
  • 一貫 means consistency. It is a noun read いっかん. In 一貫して and 一貫した, it is used adverbially as consistently or adjectivally as consistent.
  • 彼女は最初から最後まで一貫して反対した。 means “She remained consistently opposed from beginning to end.”