持もちこたえる

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Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

持ちこたえる · ichidan verb

Meanings

ichidan verb, transitive verb

Used when someone or something persists through difficulty, pressure, or attack without giving way. Often implies active resistance or tenacity.

〈物もの〉が持もちこたえるfor something (a structure, condition, etc.) to hold out or withstand pressure
古ふるい橋はしは台たい風ふうにも持もちこたえた。
The old bridge withstood even the typhoon.
〈時とき〉まで持もちこたえるto hold out until a certain time
患かん者じゃは明あけ方がたまで持もちこたえた。
The patient held on until dawn.
〈場ば所しょ〉を持もちこたえるto hold (defend) a position
部ぶ隊たいは最さい後ごの陣じん地ちを持もちこたえた。
The unit held their last position.

耐たえるN2
耐える focuses on passive endurance of hardship or pain, while 持ちこたえる emphasizes actively holding out or lasting against an opposing force.
頑がん張ばるN5
頑張る is a general verb for doing one's best or persisting, but 持ちこたえる specifically implies withstanding external pressure or maintaining a position.
粘ねばるN1
持ちこたえる means to hold out or withstand a difficult situation, while 粘る adds the nuance of active, stubborn resistance rather than mere endurance.
踏ふん張ばるN1
持ちこたえる means to hold on or keep something from collapsing (often used for finances or health), while 踏ん張る emphasizes the physical bracing effort behind the resistance.

崩くずれるN3
崩れる means to collapse or give way, the direct opposite of 持ちこたえる's sense of holding out under pressure.

持もち越こす
持ちこす means to carry something over or postpone it to later, whereas 持ちこたえる means to hold out or endure under pressure; the shared 持ち- prefix can mislead learners.

持もちこたえるUsage69%
Standard kanji-kana mixed spelling; the most common written form.
もちこたえるUsage20%
持もち堪こたえるUsage11%
Alternative spelling using the kanji 堪; less common but still encountered.
持もち堪こたえる
Rare compact kanji spelling; may be seen in older texts.

Compound of 持ち (continuative form of 持つ 'to hold') + こたえる ('to endure, withstand'). The second element is the same as the verb 堪える.