Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
持ち前 (もちまえ, mochimae) Japanese meaning: innate | Kotomora
Report an issue with this page
ち
前まえ
の
明あか
るさ
が
周まわ
り
を
元げん
気き
に
する
。
Her innate cheerfulness lifts the spirits of those around her.
With his characteristic tenacity, he finally broke through the barrier.
Related words 天性 emphasizes a natural-born gift tied to destiny, while 持ち前 is a neutral term for any inherent trait, including everyday personality quirks.
生まれつき stresses that a trait has been present since birth and is often used adverbially, while 持ち前 is a noun/no-adjective describing the trait itself without emphasizing birth.
生来 is an adverb meaning 'by nature/from birth', while 持ち前 is a noun that names the innate quality directly.
Don't confuse with 持ち味 refers to a distinctive personal or artistic flavor/style (e.g. a writer's unique touch), whereas 持ち前 is the broader term for any innate trait, ability, or characteristic.
Written forms 持も ち 前まえ Usage 83%
Standard kanji spelling; high frequency in news and general use.
もちまえ Usage 8%
持も ちまえ Usage 5%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kana form; not a standard written spelling.
持もち 前まえ Usage 4%
Less common variant without the okurigana ち.
Etymology Compound of 持ち (mochi, 'holding, having') + 前 (mae, 'before, front'), literally 'what one has from before'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the meaning has been stable as 'innate quality'.
