How to say "occur" in Japanese

• 起こるおこるJLPT N3approx.Common
  godan verb, intransitive verbThe plain, all-purpose verb for 'occur; happen': use it whenever an event, incident, or problem simply happens. For the ordinary sense of 'occur', this is the word you want.
  あとで起おこったことはなお悪わるかった。↗

  What followed was still worse.
• 持ち上がるもちあがるCommon
  godan verb, intransitive verbIt describes something happening suddenly, or — more characteristically — a matter or problem coming up or turning up. For the plain sense of 'occur' it is only a secondary choice; 起こる is the usual verb.
  株価かぶか上昇じょうしょうを契機けいきに新しん工場こうじょう建設けんせつの話はなしが持ち上もちあがった。↗

  They took advantage of the stock price increase to raise the idea of building a new factory.

Use 「起こる」 as the general verb for something occurring or happening; reserve 「持ち上がる」 for matters that come up or turn up, often suddenly — its 'occur' sense is secondary.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 起こるおこるto occur
• 起きるおきるto occur (usu. of unfavourable incidents)
• 持ち上がるもちあがるto happen suddenly
• 上がるあがるto occur (esp. of a favourable result)
• 出るでるto break out
• 発するはっするto occur