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Bile empties into the duodenum through the common bile duct. This duct is a crucial part of the biliary system, which plays an essential role in the digestion of fats. The common bile duct carries bile produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, delivering it directly to the duodenum. This process is vital for the emulsification of fats, which aids in their digestion and absorption.

The other structures, while related to bile and its movement, do not directly empty bile into the duodenum. The bile duct can refer generally to pathways carrying bile, but the specific term for the duct that delivers bile to the duodenum is the common bile duct. The pancreatic duct is separate and carries digestive enzymes from the pancreas to the duodenum, and the hepatic duct is involved in transporting bile from the liver but does not directly connect to the duodenum. Therefore, the common bile duct is the most precise answer for this question regarding the structure through which bile enters the duodenum.