English Translation
A mother tends to hold her baby on the left.
Can 抱くbe pronounced both だく and いだく? Do both pronunciations mean the same thing?
Can one use 抱える in place of 抱くwhenever one means “to hold or carry something in ones arms”?
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@ericaw
いだく is used only when it means “to bear (a feeling/motivation/thought)”. It’s mental rather than physical. For example,
少年よ、大志を抱け (しょうねんよ、たいしをいだけ) = Boys, be ambitious! (Note: famous words from a legendary educator Dr. William Smith Clark.)
その男はカルト教団に恨みを抱き続けた末に、殺人事件を引き起こした。(そのおとこはカルトきょうだんにうらみをいだきつづけたすえに、さつじんじけんをひきおこした) = With his long-standing personal grudge against the religious cult, the man finally committed to the murder case. (Note: I’m referring to the assassination of former PM Abe.)
メアリーは夫に疑念を抱き始めた。(メアリーはおっとにぎねんをいだきはじめた) = Mary started being skeptical about her husband’s (fidelity/behavior etc.)
抱く (だく) and 抱える (かかえる) are sometimes interchangeable, but 抱える has a connotation of “heavy responsibility/duty” or “mental/physical burden”. The two words are not interchangeable in the following sentences:
トムは両手に荷物を抱えていた (トムはりょうてににもつをかかえていた) = Both of Tom’s hands were full with baggages.
メアリーは仕事上の悩みを抱えていたが、誰にも相談できなかった (メアリーはしごとじょうのなやみをかかえていたが、だれにもそうだんできなかった) = Mary had trouble with work, but she couldn’t seek help or advice.
その柔道選手は相手の後ろから抱え込んだ (そのじゅうどうせんしゅはあいてのうしろからかかえこんだ) = The Judo athlete took the back and clutched with his arms. (Note: If you replace 抱え込んだ with 抱いた in this sentence, the altered one implies romantic or sexual hugging.)
その男は急に他の乗客に抱きついて逮捕された。(そのおとこはきゅうにたのじょうきゃくにだきついてたいほされた) = The man was arrested for flinging his arms around other passenger. (Note: 抱きつく around a complete stranger is a crime while 他の乗客を抱えた is more likely to be interpreted as “rescuing” as a heroic act.)