Definition
To hold or carry something in your hands; also to own or possess something.
Example
このバッグを少し持ってもらえますか？
Show translation
Could you hold this bag for me for a moment?
Etymology
持つ derives from Old Japanese *motu, tracing back to proto-Japonic roots meaning to grasp or carry. The kanji 持 (ji/mochi) depicts a hand radical (扌) next to a symbol for temple/holding, reinforcing the idea of grasping with a hand. In classical Japanese it already carried both the physical sense (to hold) and the abstract sense (to possess, to have).
Cultural note
持つ is one of the most versatile verbs in everyday Japanese. Beyond the physical "hold/carry," it extends to possession (車を持っている = to own a car), duration (この服は長く持つ = these clothes last a long time), and even abstract qualities (自信を持つ = to have confidence). In social settings, offering to carry something for someone — 持ちましょうか？ — is a common polite gesture. Note that the te-iru form 持っている is standard for "to own/have," mirroring how English uses "have" rather than "hold."