受け継ぐ・受けつぐ|うけつぐuketsugu[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
受け継ぐ受け継ぐ is the more common written form and the recommended choice for beginners.
受けつぐ受けつぐ is a less common written variant of 受け継ぐ; learners will generally encounter and use 受け継ぐ instead.
Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto inherit; to succeed; to take over
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 受け継ぐ（うけつぐ） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 受け継ぎます（うけつぎます） |
| Negative (nai) | 受け継がない（うけつがない） |
| polite (masen) | 受け継ぎません（うけつぎません） |
| classical zu / nu | 受け継がず・受け継がぬ（うけつがず・うけつがぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 受け継いだ（うけついだ） |
| polite (mashita) | 受け継ぎました（うけつぎました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 受け継がなかった（うけつがなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 受け継ぎませんでした（うけつぎませんでした） |
| Te form | 受け継いで（うけついで） |
| Potential | 受け継げる（うけつげる） |
| Passive | 受け継がれる（うけつがれる） |
| Causative | 受け継がせる（うけつがせる） |
| Causative passive | 受け継がせられる・受け継がされる（うけつがせられる・うけつがされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 受け継げば（うけつげば） |
| tara | 受け継いだら（うけついだら） |
| Volitional | 受け継ごう（うけつごう） |
| polite (mashou) | 受け継ぎましょう（うけつぎましょう） |
| Imperative | 受け継げ（うけつげ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- SynonymつぐNeutralCovers succeeding to a family business or throne, or continuing talk; 「受け継ぐ」 stresses taking a tradition or legacy from a predecessor and carrying it on.
- Synonym継承けいしょうWrittenNoun for succession, formal, as in 「王位継承」; 「受け継ぐ」 carries a warmer sense of handing down a legacy.
- Synonym相続そうぞくNeutralLegal word for inheriting an estate on someone's death; 「受け継ぐ」 can take a legacy too, but its focus is on traditions, crafts and spirit.
- Synonym引き継ぐひきつぐNeutralFor handing over work or taking over a business; 「受け継ぐ」 leans toward inheriting traditions and bloodline.
- Synonym承継しょうけいWrittenWritten term for succeeding to a business, often legal; 「受け継ぐ」 is the everyday choice.
- Synonym譲り受けるゆずりうけるNeutralFor receiving or buying something another person transfers; 「受け継ぐ」 is about carrying on a legacy.
- Synonym相伝そうでんWrittenFor arts and skills passed down through generations, as in 「一子相伝」; 「受け継ぐ」 views it from the receiver's side.
- Synonym相承そうしょうWrittenWritten word for teachings passed from master to disciple; rare.
- Synonym継受けいじゅWrittenWritten term for taking over things such as laws; rare.
- Antonym断つたつNeutralTo sever or cut off — the opposite of 「受け継ぐ」, which carries a tradition on.
- Antonym放棄するWrittenTo give up or abandon, formal; the opposite of inheriting and carrying on.
Use 「受け継ぐ」 to take over a tradition, legacy or spirit from a predecessor and carry it on, as in 「伝統を受け継ぐ」. For succeeding to a family business say 「継ぐ」; in formal contexts 「継承」; for inheriting an estate 「相続」; for handing over work 「引き継ぐ」; to give up, 「放棄」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
