“〜wo kakaete iru・wo seotte iru”: To Carry (a problem) / Shoulder (a burden) [JLPT N1]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

「悩みを抱える」vs「責任を背負う」 — a problem held in the arms vs a duty on the back.

「人に言えない悩みを抱えている」 — a trouble held in one's arms, a burden borne on one's shoulders

To depict “carrying some burden,” 「彼は、人に言えない悩みを抱えている」 (he carries a worry he can't tell anyone) — 「〜を抱（かか）えている・〜を背負（せお）っている」 both express “bearing a burden,” yet with different images: 抱える = a trouble held in one's arms (worries, debt); 背負う = a burden borne on one's shoulders (responsibility, fate). This guide covers the division of labor, the trap of the particle 「を,」 and separating them from 「担う／負う.」

Core: a trouble held in the arms vs a burden borne on the shoulders

Both express “bearing a burden,” but with different images:

① を抱（かか）える = to hold, be burdened with (problems, worries, debt, illness) — “held in the arms,” mostly an inner trouble hard to shake, to be faced continually:

• 多額の借金を抱えて、苦しんでいる (weighed down by huge debt, suffering).
• 彼女は仕事と育児の両方を抱えて、毎日へとへとだ (juggling both work and childcare, she's worn out every day).

② を背負（せお）う = to bear (responsibility, fate, expectations, a load) — “borne on the shoulders,” mostly a responsibility, mission to shoulder:

• 彼は一家の生活を背負っている (he bears the livelihood of the whole family).
• 大きな期待を背負って、舞台に立った (bearing great expectations, he took the stage).

Feel: 「抱える」 is an inner trouble held in the arms (worries・debt・anxiety・chronic illness), to be faced continually, hard to shake; 「背負う」 is a burden of responsibility borne on the shoulders (responsibility・fate・expectations・mission). In English: 抱える = “carry, be burdened with (problems)”; 背負う = “bear, shoulder (responsibility).”

Attachment & forms

Examples in context

• 会社は深刻な経営問題を抱えている。(The company is beset by serious management problems.)
• 誰もが、何かしらの悩みを抱えて生きている。(Everyone lives carrying some kind of worry.)
• 彼は、チームの命運を背負ってマウンドに立った。(He took the mound bearing the team's fate.)
• 長男として、家業を背負う覚悟を決めた。(As the eldest son, I resolved to shoulder the family business.)
• 持病を抱えながらも、彼は前向きに生きている。(Even carrying a chronic illness, he lives positively.)

⚠️ Common mistakes to avoid

① 「抱える」 is an inner trouble in the arms (problems／worries／debt); 「背負う」 is a burden of responsibility on the shoulders (responsibility／fate／expectations). This is the two's core division. 「を抱える」 = to hold, be burdened with (problems, worries, debt, illness) — the image is “held in the arms,” mostly “an inner trouble hard to shake, to be faced continually”: 悩みを抱える (carry a worry), 借金を抱える (be burdened with debt), 問題を抱える (have a problem), 不安を抱える (carry anxiety). It's mostly “an (inner) trouble, burden.” 「を背負う」 = to bear (responsibility, fate, expectations, mission) — the image is “borne on the shoulders,” mostly “a responsibility, mission, fate to shoulder”: 責任を背負う (bear responsibility), 期待を背負う (bear expectations), 運命を背負う (bear a fate), 一家を背負う (shoulder a household). It's mostly “a (major) responsibility to bear.” Test: an inner problem／worry／debt → 抱える (in the arms); a responsibility／fate／expectation to shoulder → 背負う (on the shoulders).

② Use the particle 「を」 (transitive), not 「が.」 This is the commonest particle error. 「抱える」 「背負う」 are both transitive verbs, preceded by the particle 「を,」 not 「が」: ✗ 責任が背負う → ✓ 責任を背負う, ✗ 悩みが抱える → ✓ 悩みを抱える. Mnemonic: (noun) を抱える／を背負う (the particle is を).

③ ⭐Don't reflexively write the Chinese ‘bear responsibility' as 「責任を抱える.」 This is a typical learner trap. The Chinese/English “bear responsibility” is easily rendered as 「責任を抱えている」 — not ungrammatical, but the feel is off: 「抱える」 is “(treating something as) a trouble in the arms, an inner burden,” and applied to “responsibility” it becomes “(treating responsibility as) a nuisance to carry,” which isn't quite right. Something to be shouldered, borne like “responsibility” fits 「背負う」: 責任を背負う (bear responsibility). Likewise: 「fate・mission・expectations」 use 背負う (on the shoulders); 「problems・worries・debt・anxiety」 use 抱える (in the heart). Test: a responsibility／mission／fate to shoulder → 背負う; a problem／worry／debt to carry → 抱える. (Incidentally, 「抱える」's colloquial derivative 「抱え込む」 is heavier, stressing “carrying it alone in silence, not consulting anyone, not letting go,” often negative: 一人で問題を抱え込む.)

🔄 Nuance & comparison: を抱える／を背負う／を担う／を負う

💡 The key point in use

「〜を抱えている・〜を背負っている」 both express bearing a burden — three points: ① a division of image — 「抱える = an inner trouble held in the arms」 (worries・debt・problems); 「背負う = a burden of responsibility on the shoulders」 (responsibility・fate・expectations); ② use the particle 「を」 (transitive, ✗責任が背負う); ③⭐don't write the ‘bear responsibility' as 「責任を抱える」 — “responsibility” uses 「背負う」 (shoulder), while 「抱える」 mostly takes problems／worries／debt (carry). This set vividly distinguishes two kinds of “bearing” — an inner trouble carried (抱える), and a responsibility shouldered (背負う). For “carry a worry／problem” use 抱える; for “bear a responsibility／mission” use 背負う; and with 「担う (actively shoulder an important duty)／負う (sustain),」 this “bearing” verb set is sorted out.

❓ Quick FAQ

Q: Which is right, 「責任を抱える」 or 「責任を背負う」?

「責任を背負う」 is the apt one; 「責任を抱える」 isn't ungrammatical, but the feel is off. This is one learners most often trip on. 「を背負う」 = bear (responsibility, fate, expectations) — a burden on the shoulders: “responsibility” is something to be shouldered, borne, so 「背負う」 (on the shoulders) fits best: 重大な責任を背負う (bear grave responsibility), 家族の期待を背負う (bear the family's expectations), 一国の命運を背負う (bear a nation's fate). So the “bear responsibility” = 「責任を背負う.」 「を抱える」 = carry (problems, worries, debt) — an inner trouble in the arms: 「抱える」's object is mostly “(inner) problems, troubles, burdens” like worries, debt, problems: 悩みを抱える, 借金を抱える, トラブルを抱える. If you attach “responsibility” to 「抱える」 (責任を抱える), the feel becomes “(treating responsibility as) a trouble／burden held in the heart” — barely possible (occasionally seen when stressing “responsibility became a mental burden for him”), but for the ordinary “bear responsibility,” 「背負う」 is natural and correct. Difference: a responsibility／fate／expectation to shoulder → 背負う; a problem／worry／debt to carry → 抱える. Test: check whether what's attached is a “responsibility to shoulder” or a “problem to carry” — 責任・使命・命運・期待 → 背負う; 問題・悩み・借金・不安 → 抱える. So for “bear responsibility,” write 「責任を背負う,」 not 「責任を抱える.」

Q: What's the difference between 「を背負う」 and 「を担（にな）う」? Both ‘bear'?

The difference is ‘a heavy-burden feel' vs ‘(positively) shouldering an important duty.' 「を背負う」 = bear (responsibility, fate, a load) — stressing ‘carrying something heavy,' often with pressure, hardship, a tragic note: its image is “carrying something heavy on the shoulders,” often with a “heavy, hard, pressured” even “tragic” flavor: 借金を背負う (bear debt — heavy), 一家の生活を背負う (bear a household's livelihood — hard), 罪を背負う (bear a sin — heavy), 期待を背負って (bearing expectations — pressured). It's mostly “a heavy burden shouldered (forced or unavoidable),” with a sense of load. 「を担（にな）う」 = shoulder (a role, mission, the future) — stressing ‘(positively, actively) shouldering an important duty,' more neutral even positive: its image is “taking on, shouldering an important role／mission,” more positive, active, often for “shouldering an important duty, becoming a mainstay in some field”: 重要な役割を担う (shoulder an important role), 次世代を担う若者 (young people who carry the future), 経済成長を担う産業 (an industry underpinning economic growth), 一翼を担う (play a part). It's mostly “(actively) shouldering an important, honorable duty,” without the “heavy, tragic” negative. Difference: 「背負う」 leans ‘carrying a heavy load' (with load, pressure, hardship); 「担う」 leans ‘(positively) shouldering an important duty' (more active, honorable, neutral). Test: to say “(heavily) shoulder ～ (a responsibility／debt／fate)” → 背負う (with pressure); to say “(positively) shoulder ～ (an important role／mission／the future)” → 担う (more honorable). E.g. 「彼は借金を背負っている (he bears debt — heavy)」 uses 背負う; 「彼らは日本の未来を担う人材だ (they're talent who carry Japan's future — positive, honorable)」 uses 担う. One is “carrying a heavy load,” one is “(honorably) shouldering an important duty.”

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「彼は人に言えない悩み___。」(harbors a worry)

(A) を抱えている　(B) に越したことはない　(C) を禁じ得ない　(D) に堪えない

Q2. What does 「を背負う」 attach to easily?

(A) Responsibility, fate, expectations

(B) A drink

(C) The weather

(D) A color

Q3. What does 「借金を抱えている」 mean?

(A) Carrying a debt

(B) Having no debt

(C) Paid off the debt

(D) Lending money to someone

Q4. What is the nuance of 「を抱える」?

(A) To harbor / carry (a problem or worry — bearing it internally)

(B) Relaxed and cheerful

(C) A command

(D) A condition

Q5. Which connection is correct?

(A) 重い責任を背負っている。　(B) 責任を背負っているを。

(C) 責任が背負う(他動詞は を)。　(D) 責任だ抱える。

Answer Explanations

1. (A) を抱えている ── Harbors a worry.

2. (A) ── 背負う attaches to responsibility/fate/expectations.

3. (A) ── Carrying a debt.

4. (A) ── To harbor/carry (bearing it internally).

5. (A) ── 「重い責任を背負っている」 is correct.