Translation guide
The English phrase "hold up" has several distinct meanings. This guide covers the most common uses for learners: delaying someone or something, physically supporting or raising something, enduring or surviving, and robbing someone. It also notes the literal meaning of holding something upward.
To make someone or something late, or to be delayed.
Transitive verb meaning to delay something. Use when you are the cause of the delay.
交通渋滞が私たちを遅らせた。
Traffic held us up.
Intransitive verb meaning to be late or delayed. Use when the subject itself is delayed.
電車が遅れて、会議に間に合わなかった。
The train was held up, so I was late for the meeting.
Means to make someone wait. Often used when you keep a person waiting.
ごめん、待たせちゃって。
Sorry to hold you up.
Means to detain or keep someone from leaving, often by talking to them. Implies holding someone up in a social context.
友達に引き止められて、遅刻した。
I was held up by a friend and ended up being late.
To hold something in a raised position or to support something from below.
To lift something up. Used for physically raising an object.
その箱を持ち上げてください。
Please hold up that box.
To support or prop up. Used when something is held up to prevent it from falling.
To hold up high, often for display, like a sign or a flag. More formal or literary.
To remain strong or functional under pressure or over time.
To hold out, endure, or withstand. Used for both physical objects and abstract situations.
この古い橋はまだ持ちこたえている。
This old bridge is still holding up.
彼女はプレッシャーの中でもよく持ちこたえた。
She held up well under pressure.
To endure, bear, or withstand hardship. Often used for pain, criticism, or difficult conditions.
To last or hold out. A casual, common verb for things remaining functional.
この靴はもう一年はもつと思う。
I think these shoes will hold up for another year.
To commit armed robbery, especially of a bank, store, or person.
To burglarize or rob a place. Often used for banks or stores.
昨日、銀行が強盗に入られた。
The bank was held up yesterday.
To rob or plunder. More forceful nuance, often used in news reports.
犯人は現金を強奪した。
The criminal held up the store and took the cash.
Literally 'threaten with a pistol'. Describes the act of holding someone up at gunpoint.
彼はピストルで脅されて財布を渡した。
He was held up at gunpoint and gave his wallet.
Simply to keep something raised, without necessarily lifting it.
To keep something held up, like a sign. Combines 掲げる with ておく (to keep in a state).
看板を掲げておいてください。
Please hold up the sign.
To point or hold something upward. Used for body parts or objects.
手のひらを上に向けて。
Hold up your palm.
English 'hold up' in the sense of delay is not translated as 持って上げる or similar. Use 遅らせる or 遅れる depending on transitivity.
遅らせる is transitive (someone delays something), while 遅れる is intransitive (something is delayed). Choose based on whether there is a direct object causing the delay.
技術的な問題で会議が遅れた。
The meeting was held up by technical issues.
答えがわかったら手を挙げてください。
Hold up your hand if you know the answer.
挙げる is more natural than 持ち上げる for raising a hand.
この柱が屋根を支えている。
These pillars hold up the roof.
彼はプラカードを掲げて抗議した。
He held up a placard and protested.
He held up under severe criticism.