Quick Reference

Meaning & Definition

Most Japanese verbs for handling objects have a narrow focus, but motsu spans an unusually wide arc — from gripping a bag with your hands, to owning a house, to holding onto a belief, to a battery that lasts all day. Understanding where each meaning applies is the real key to using this N5 verb naturally.

Motsu covers four overlapping senses that English splits across different words. First, physical holding or carrying: kaban o motsu (carry a bag), koppu o motsu (hold a cup). Second, possession or ownership: kuruma o motsu (own a car), pasupōto o motteiru (have a passport on you). Third, holding an abstract quality or feeling: jishin o motsu (hold confidence), sekinin o motsu (bear responsibility). Fourth, durability — how long something lasts: denchi ga motteru (the battery is holding up), kono kasa wa nagamochi shimasu (this umbrella lasts a long time). In everyday speech the te-iru form motteiru is especially common; it expresses the ongoing state of having or holding rather than the act of picking something up.

How to Use It

A common stumbling block is choosing between motsu and aru for possession. Use motteiru when the owner actively has the item with them or has acquired it (keitai o motteiru — I have my phone on me / I own a phone), and aru when the item simply exists somewhere (ie ni denwa ga aru — there is a phone at home). For abstract possession such as opinions or feelings, motsu is almost always the right choice: iken o motsu (hold an opinion), not iken ga aru. Also note that motsu is a Class 1 (godan) verb, so its te-form is motte, not moite — a frequent spelling error among beginners.

Kanji Breakdown

The character 持 pairs the radical 扌(hand) on the left with 寺 (temple) on the right. 寺 originally depicted a hand holding something steady at a post — a concept of maintaining a fixed position. Together, 持 conveys the idea of a hand that grips and sustains, which neatly captures both the physical hold and the sense of something enduring over time.

Example Sentences

Cultural Context

The durability sense of motsu connects directly to Japan’s mottainai (もったいない) culture — the deep-seated reluctance to waste things that still have life in them. When a Japanese speaker says kore wa mada motsu (this will still last), they are not merely making a practical observation; they are invoking a value system that prizes longevity over replacement. Objects that motsu — umbrellas, tools, clothing — earn a kind of respect, and people who care for possessions so they last longer are seen as acting responsibly rather than thriftily.

In Japanese social contexts, sekinin o motsu (to hold responsibility) and jishin o motsu (to hold confidence) carry real moral weight. Taking ownership of a task or outcome is framed not as something assigned from outside but as something you personally carry — an inner posture expressed through the very physicality of motsu. This framing appears in workplaces, schools, and sports teams alike, where coaches and managers routinely tell members to hokori o motte yare — do it with pride — literally urging them to hold pride within themselves as they act.

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