- kakaeru to hold in one's arms, to carry in one's arms, to carry under one's arm, to hold (one's head) in one's hands; to have (problems, debts, etc.), to take on (a responsibility), to be burdened with (e.g. care of a family member), to have (children, etc.) to provide for; to employ, to have (on one's staff), to hire
Use for physically holding something against your body or metaphorically having a burden, problem, or responsibility; more specific than 持つ for embracing or supporting.
赤ちゃんを抱える
akachan o kakaeru
to hold a baby in one's arms
多くの問題を抱えている
ōku no mondai o kakaete iru
to have many problems
⚖️ 抱く (daku) also means to hold/embrace, but often implies affection or sexual connotation, while 抱える focuses on carrying or being burdened.
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💡 Remove る and add ます (polite), て-form, or た (past).
Found in a wide range of contexts. Useful for building reading and listening fluency.
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