How to say "take" in Japanese

• 取るとるJLPT N5approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbThe general verb for physically taking something: picking it up, grabbing it, or catching it. When English take means getting your hands on an object, this is the word you want.
  お皿さらに取とったものは全部ぜんぶ食たべなさい。↗

  You'd better eat everything that's on your plate.
• かかるJLPT N5approx.Common
  godan verb, intransitive verbCovers take in the sense of a resource being used up: say this when something takes time or takes money. It is usually written in kana alone.
  あれだけのコインを収集しゅうしゅうするのにどれだけの年月としつきがかかりましたか。↗

  How long did it take you to collect so many coins?
• 持つもつJLPT N5approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbReally the verb for holding something in your hand or carrying it; its take sense is secondary, fitting only when taking something means taking it in hand. For other senses of take, look elsewhere.
  コートを持もちましょうか。↗

  Shall I carry your coat?
• もらうJLPT N4approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbTake in the sense of receiving or accepting something from someone: when taking means letting a person give you something, this is the natural verb. Usually written in kana alone.
  それじゃ、僕ぼくはチキンをもらいましょう。↗

  Well then, I'll have chicken.
• 飲むのむJLPT N5approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbThe verb for drinking or swallowing; its only connection with take is taking medicine, which Japanese frames as swallowing it. For any other sense of take, this is not the word.
  この薬くすりを飲のまなければ行いけませんか。↗

  Must I take this medicine?

Choose 「取る」 for physically taking, grabbing or catching something, 「かかる」 when time or money is what gets taken, 「もらう」 for taking something someone gives you, 「持つ」 only for taking something in hand, and 「飲む」 solely for taking medicine.

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

• 取るとるto take
• かかるto take (a resource, e.g. time or money)
• 持つもつto hold (in one's hand)
• もらうto receive
• 飲むのむto drink
• 奪ううばうto take (by force)
• 要するようするto need
• 浴びるあびるto dash over oneself (e.g. water)
• 本番ほんばんperformance (as opposed to practice)
• 取り合うとりあうto join (hands)
• いただくto receive
• 乗るのるto get on (train, plane, bus, ship, etc.)
• 撮るとるto take (a photograph)
• 執るとるto take (trouble)
• 就くつくto take (seat, position, course, office, etc.)
• 連れて行くつれていくto take (someone to a place)
• 採るとるto adopt (a method, proposal, etc.)
• とるto have (e.g. lunch)
• 通るとおるto go by
• アレンジarrangement (of music)
• 喫するきっするto eat
• テイクtake (e.g. in film-making)
• なつくto become attached (to)
• 服むのむto take (medicine)
• 選するせんするto choose
• 挟み上げるはさみあげるto pick up (with chopsticks)
• 手にするてにするto hold (in one's hand)
• 要すようすto need
• 本チャンほんチャンperformance
• 取れ高とれだかcrop
• 着るきるto take (the blame, responsibility)
• 受け取るうけとるto take (someone's words or behaviour)
• 迎えるむかえるto accept (e.g. as a member of a group or family)
• かぶるto bear (e.g. someone's debts, faults, etc.)
• 受け止めるうけとめるto react to
• 負うおうto take (responsibility)
• 略すりゃくすto take
• 持ち込むもちこむto bring (to another stage)
• たどるto head towards (of a situation)
• 講ずるこうずるto devise (e.g. a strategy)
• 抜き取るぬきとるto pick out
• 入れるいれるto accept
• 送るおくるto see (someone) off
• 講じるこうじるto devise (e.g. a strategy)
• 承るうけたまわるto receive (order)
• 陥れるおとしいれるto capture (a castle, fortress, etc.)
• しょっぴくto take (a suspect to the police)
• 略するりゃくするto take
• 懐にするふところにするto take
• 受け付けるうけつけるto (be able to) take (food, medicine, etc.)
• うけるto undergo (e.g. surgery)
• 抜くぬくto take (a photo)
• 写すうつすto take (a photo)
• 召すめすto take (a bath)
• はねるto take (a percentage)
• 名乗るなのるto adopt as one's name
• 考えるかんがえるto consider (as)
• 服するふくするto take (medicine, poison, etc.)
• 冒すおかすto assume (someone else's surname)
• 落とすおとすto fall into (e.g. a dilemma or sin)
• 手を出すてをだすto take
• 服すふくすto take (medicine, poison, etc.)
• 召されるめされるto take (a bath)