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道Nihongo Path

継ぐ

つぐ

to succeed to; to inherit; to carry on (from someone); to join on

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Examples

  1. 誰が王位を継ぐのですか。

    だれがおういをつぐのですか。

    Who will succeed to the throne?

  2. 彼は父の後を継いで店を守っている。

    かれはちちのあとをついでみせをまもっている。

    He has taken over from his father and keeps the shop going.

  3. 驚きのあまり、彼は言葉を継ぐことができなかった。

    おどろきのあまり、かれはことばをつぐことができなかった。

    He was so astonished that he could not go on speaking.

Common patterns

跡を継ぐ
to succeed to the family line or business
家業を継ぐ
to take over the family business
受け継ぐ
to inherit; to take over

Memory tip

継ぐ is taking over what came before — a house, a trade, a title. Keep it apart from its homophones 注ぐ 'to pour a drink' and 次ぐ 'to rank next after'.

Kanji in this word

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What does 継ぐ mean?