verb HSK 4
to hold · to grasp · to support · to maintain
Meaning
持 means to hold something in your hand or to maintain a state or position. It's commonly used in formal contexts and compounds to express the idea of grasping, supporting, or persisting with something over time.
Usage
持 rarely appears alone in casual speech but is extremely common in compounds like 坚持 (persist), 保持 (maintain), 支持 (support), and 持续 (continue). In formal writing, it can mean 'to hold' in both literal and abstract senses. When used independently, it often appears in fixed expressions or written language.
Examples
- 01我们要坚持学习中文。.We must persist in studying Chinese.
- 02请保持安静。.Please keep quiet.
Common collocations
- 持有to hold, to possess
- 持刀to hold a knife
- 主持to host, to preside over
- 持平to remain level, to hold steady
Antonyms
Origin
The character 持 combines the hand radical 扌 (hand) with 寺 (temple), which provides the phonetic component. The hand radical indicates the action of holding or grasping with one's hands.