立つ
たつ
tatsu
= to stand (up); to rise; to leave; to be established
立つ looks simple on paper, but its range is surprisingly wide — it covers everything from the physical act of standing to the departure of a train, the founding of a company, and the moment anger rises up inside you.
立つ (tatsu) is a godan intransitive verb with a core meaning of “to stand” — moving from a sitting or lying position to an upright one, or already being in that upright position. From this physical root it branches outward: a train 立つ when it departs (the common usage 電車が立つ is less standard than 出発する, but 旅立つ, meaning “to set off on a journey,” is idiomatic). 役に立つ (yaku ni tatsu) means “to be useful” — literally “to stand in a role.” 腹が立つ (hara ga tatsu) means “to get angry” — “one’s belly stands up.” These compound idiomatic phrases mean that 立つ is far more than a beginner verb even when you first learn it at N5.
The transitive counterpart of 立つ is 立てる (tateru), meaning “to stand something up” or “to erect.” If you want someone to stand up, you say 立って (te-form of 立つ). If you want to place a flag upright, you use 立てる. Learners sometimes confuse 立つ with 建つ (tatsu), which looks and sounds the same but uses a different kanji and means “to be built” (of a building). Context and kanji clarify which is meant.
立 (ritsu/ta) depicts a person standing upright on the ground — the character’s shape is a direct pictograph of a figure with legs planted and arms at their sides. This visual clarity makes it one of the easier kanji to remember.
Formal / Cultural context
先生が入ってきたので、みんな立ちました。
Sensei ga haitte kita node, minna tachimashita.
Everyone stood up when the teacher came in.
Everyday use
この道具、本当に役に立つね。
Kono dougu, hontou ni yaku ni tatsu ne.
This tool is really useful, isn’t it.
Casual / Social Media
あんな言い方されたら腹が立つわ。
Anna ii kata saretara hara ga tatsu wa.
Being spoken to like that really makes me angry.
立つ underlies several key Japanese social behaviors. Standing when a superior or guest enters the room is a mark of respect that still operates in schools and formal workplaces. The phrase 立って迎える (tatte mukaeru, to receive someone by standing) is the physical expression of this deference.
The idiom 役に立つ (to be useful, to stand in a role) reflects a broader value in Japanese culture of being of practical use to others. Phrases like 役に立つ人間になれ (become a person who is of use to society) appear in educational and motivational contexts, carrying the weight of a social expectation alongside the simple grammar of the verb.