継ぐ

• Reading: つぐ
• Romaji: tsugu
• Kanji breakdown: 継 (kei/tsu) — inherit, succeed, continue
• Pronunciation: /tsɯ.ɡɯ/

Meaning

To succeed; to inherit. Taking over a business, position, or family tradition from a predecessor.

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb. Used for succession and inheritance: 家業を継ぐ (to take over the family business), 跡を継ぐ (to succeed someone), 伝統を継ぐ (to carry on a tradition). Distinct from 接ぐ (to join physically) — 継ぐ focuses on continuation across generations. Related: 後継者 (koukeisha, successor).

Examples

1. 父の会社を継ぐかどうか迷っている。 I'm torn over whether to take over my father's company.
2. 伝統工芸の技を継ぐ若者が少なくなっている。 Fewer and fewer young people are carrying on the skills of traditional crafts.
3. 祖母の着物を継いで大切にしている。 I inherited my grandmother's kimono and treasure it.

Usage Guide

Context: family, business, tradition

Tone: serious

Origin & History

From the kanji 継 (kei, to inherit/succeed). The native reading tsugu means to continue what came before. Related to 継続 (keizoku, continuation) and 後継 (koukei, succession).

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal