持つ

• Reading: もつ
• Romaji: motsu
• Kanji breakdown: 持 (ji/mo) — to hold, to have
• Pronunciation: /mo.tsɯ/

Meaning

To hold; to carry; to possess. Used for physically holding objects and for ownership.

A Group 1 (godan) verb with a つ stem. Covers both physical holding (持っている = holding) and possession (持っている = having/owning). The te-form 持って is used with いく (to take along) and くる (to bring). Very common in daily conversations.

Examples

1. かばんを持ってきてください。 Please bring my bag over here.
2. 傘を持っていますか。 Do you have an umbrella?
3. この荷物は重いから、二人で持ちましょう。 This luggage is heavy, so let's carry it together.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, shopping, travel

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 持 combines 扌 (hand radical) and 寺 (temple), originally suggesting holding or maintaining something with care, as one would maintain a temple.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal