Meaning of 持有
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to hold (passport, views etc)
How to use 持有
持有 is a formal word used for documents, shares, assets, weapons, and opinions. You will see it in news, legal texts, and official notices rather than casual chat. Example: 他持有中国护照。(Tā chíyǒu Zhōngguó hùzhào.) He holds a Chinese passport.
持 (chí) has the hand radical 扌, so picture a hand gripping something firmly. Add 有 (yǒu, to have), and 持有 means to hold and have, like a hand holding a passport.
Common mistake: Learners often use 持有 in everyday speech where 有 (yǒu) or 拿着 (názhe) sounds natural. Say 我有一本书, not 我持有一本书. Also do not confuse 持 (chí) with 特 (tè, special), which has the cow radical 牛 instead of the hand 扌.
持有 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
持 chí · to hold · 9 strokes
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有 yǒu · to have · 6 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 持有.
| 没有 | méiyǒu | haven't; hasn't |
| 还有 | hái yǒu | there still remain(s); there is (or are) still; in addition |
| 有些 | yǒuxiē | some; somewhat; rather; a bit |
| 有时 | yǒushí | sometimes; now and then |
| 有时候 | yǒushíhou | sometimes |
| 有用 | yǒuyòng | useful |
| 有名 | yǒumíng | famous; well-known |
| 有的 | yǒude | (there are) some (who are...); some (exist) |
| 有一些 | yǒuyīxiē | somewhat; rather |
| 所有 | suǒyǒu | all; to have; to possess; to own |
| 有人 | yǒu rén | someone; people |
| 有意思 | yǒu yìsi | interesting; meaningful |
Questions about 持有
What does 持有 mean?
持有 (chíyǒu) means "to hold (passport, views etc)" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 持有?
持有 is made of 2 characters: 持 (9 strokes), 有 (6 strokes). That is 15 strokes in total.
Is 持有 an HSK word?
Yes. 持有 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 持有 and 拥有?
拥有 (yōngyǒu) means to own or possess, often large things like wealth, land, or talent. 持有 stresses holding something, such as a document, shares, or a view, and is common in legal and financial contexts.
Can 持有 be used for opinions?
Yes. You can say 持有不同意见 (chíyǒu bùtóng yìjiàn), to hold a different opinion. In this sense 持有 is close to 持 alone, as in 持不同看法.