Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Carry" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "carry", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
運ぶ
はこぶ (hakobu)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
持ち越す
もちこす (mochikosu)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "carry" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 運ぶ and 持ち越す.
In Japanese, 運ぶ (はこぶ (hakobu)) is typically associated with "to carry, to transport" (Syllabus Level: N4) and represents Refers to moving items from one place to another, often implying effort or a larger quantity/size than 持って行く. 物を移動させる。.
On the other hand, 持ち越す (もちこす (mochikosu)) maps to "to carry over, to postpone, to defer (to the next day/month/etc.)" (Syllabus Level: N2) and represents Used when something. A literal translation of "carry" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "運ぶ"
この大きな荷物を一人で運ぶのは大変だ。
It's hard to carry this large luggage alone.
Bilingual Context for "持ち越す"
その問題は、来週の会議に持ち越されることになった。
That issue was decided to be carried over to next week's meeting.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "この大きな荷物を一人で ＿＿＿ のは大変だ。" (Meaning: "It's hard to carry this large luggage alone.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "運ぶ" fits here because it means "to carry, to transport" in the context of: "It's hard to carry this large luggage alone.". "持ち越す" represents "to carry over, to postpone, to defer (to the next day/month/etc.)".