Meaning and Usage
The verb 受け継ぐ (うけつぐ) means "to inherit" or "to succeed" something from a predecessor. It is commonly used for inheriting tangible things like companies or property, as well as intangible things such as traditions, skills, or responsibilities.
Common Contexts
You will often see 受け継ぐ in contexts involving family inheritance (e.g., a son inheriting a family business), cultural or traditional succession, and passing down knowledge or techniques from one generation to another.
Collocations and Patterns
- 会社を受け継ぐ: to inherit a company
- 伝統を受け継ぐ: to inherit traditions
- 技術を受け継ぐ: to inherit skills
- 責任を受け継ぐ: to succeed to responsibility
These collocations highlight the broad use of 受け継ぐ for both physical and abstract inheritance.
Register and Nuance
受け継ぐ is a neutral to formal verb, suitable for written and spoken Japanese. It often implies a respectful or serious tone, especially when referring to traditions or responsibilities.
Common Learner Mistake
Learners sometimes confuse 受け継ぐ with 継ぐ (つぐ), which also means "to succeed" or "to inherit." However, 受け継ぐ emphasizes the act of receiving and carrying on something from the past, often with a sense of responsibility or legacy, while 継ぐ can be more general and is often used for succession in business or family without the nuance of inheritance.