引き継ぐ|ひきつぐhikitsugu[3]nakadaka (mid-high)

Common
Definitions
  1. godan verb, transitive verbto take over (someone's duties, business, etc.); to inherit; to succeed to; to carry on (a tradition); to continue
    私の息子むすこが仕事しごとを引き継ひきつぐだろう。↗
    My son will take over the job.
  2. godan verb, transitive verbto hand over
Conjugation
Dictionary form引き継ぐ(ひきつぐ)
Polite (masu)引き継ぎます(ひきつぎます)
Negative (nai)引き継がない(ひきつがない)
polite (masen)引き継ぎません(ひきつぎません)
classical zu / nu引き継がず・引き継がぬ(ひきつがず・ひきつがぬ)
Past (ta)引き継いだ(ひきついだ)
polite (mashita)引き継ぎました(ひきつぎました)
Past negative (nakatta)引き継がなかった(ひきつがなかった)
polite (masen deshita)引き継ぎませんでした(ひきつぎませんでした)
Te form引き継いで(ひきついで)
Potential引き継げる(ひきつげる)
Passive引き継がれる(ひきつがれる)
Causative引き継がせる(ひきつがせる)
Causative passive引き継がせられる・引き継がされる(ひきつがせられる・ひきつがされる)
Conditional (ba)引き継げば(ひきつげば)
tara引き継いだら(ひきついだら)
Volitional引き継ごう(ひきつごう)
polite (mashou)引き継ぎましょう(ひきつぎましょう)
Imperative引き継げ(ひきつげ)

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym受け継ぐうけつぐNeutralInherits an undertaking, tradition, or legacy from a predecessor, as in 「伝統を受け継ぐ」. 「引き継ぐ」 leans toward work handovers and taking over duties.
  • SynonymつぐNeutralUsed for succeeding to the family business or mending clothes, as in 「家業を継ぐ」. 「引き継ぐ」 leans toward handovers of work or business.
  • Synonym引き受けるひきうけるNeutralMeans taking on or accepting a task, or guaranteeing something, as in 「仕事を引き受ける」. 「引き継ぐ」 implies continuing from a predecessor.
  • Antonym引き渡すひきわたすNeutralAntonym: to hand something over or transfer it, as in 「犯人を引き渡す」 — the reverse of 「引き継ぐ」, which is about taking over.

Use 「引き継ぐ」 to take over a predecessor's work or for handovers, as in 「業務を引き継ぐ」 and 「引き継ぎ書」. Choose 「受け継ぐ」 for traditions and legacies, 「継ぐ」 for the family business, and 「引き受ける」 for taking on tasks; 「引き渡す」 is the opposite, handing over.

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

Japanese definitions
  1. 仕事しごとなどの後あとを受け継うけつぐ。継承けいしょうする。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also

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