Japanese word

受け継ぐ

Pronunciation

Romajiuketsugu

Meaning

  • verbtake over

Example

父の会社を受け継ぎます。chichi no gai sha o u ke tsu gi ma su

I will take over my father's company.

Illustration for 受け継ぐ (take over)

More examples

祖父から受け継いだ技術を、若い職人たちに伝えます。so fu ka ra u ke tsu i da gi jutsu o waka i shoku nin ta chi ni tsuta e ma su

I will pass on the skills I inherited from my grandfather to young craftspeople.

Core concept

It presents succession as both taking something into one's care and keeping its work or value alive.

Common phrases

  • 伝統を受け継ぐden tō o u ke tsu gu

    carry on a tradition

  • 家業を受け継ぐka gyō o u ke tsu gu

    take over a family business

  • 文化を受け継ぐbun ka o u ke tsu gu

    inherit a culture

Similar words

引き継ぐhikitsugu: To assume another person's role, duties, or ongoing work and continue them.
継承するkeishōsuru: To inherit and maintain an established position, technique, or tradition across generations.

Definition in Japanese

前の持ち主や担い手から物事を受け取り、同じ役割を引き続いて行うこと。mae no mo chi nushi ya nina i te ka ra mono goto o u ke to ri ona ji yaku wari o hi ki tsuzu i te okona u ko to

Word origin

受け継ぐ (uketsugu) is formed from the continuative form 受け (uke) of 受ける (ukeru, "receive") and 継ぐ (tsugu, "continue"), joining receiving with carrying on.

Usage tips

  • The word also applies to skills and traditions, where what is passed on is a way of doing something rather than an object.

Other meanings

  • inheritverb
  • carry onverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word