B1 Collocation Neutro 3 min de leitura

維持をする

maintain

Literalmente: to do maintenance

Use this when you want to emphasize the effort of keeping things steady and consistent.

Em 15 segundos

  • Keeping a situation or state exactly as it is right now.
  • Used for health, business standards, and physical objects.
  • Implies effort is needed to prevent things from getting worse.

Significado

It means keeping something exactly as it is without letting it decline or change. Think of it like holding a steady speed while driving or keeping your room clean after a deep scrub.

Exemplos-chave

3 de 7
1

Talking about fitness goals

今の体重を維持をするのは大変です。

Maintaining my current weight is hard.

😊
2

In a business meeting

今月の売上を維持をしましょう。

Let's maintain this month's sales figures.

💼
3

Texting a friend about a streak

毎日勉強して、記録を維持してるよ!

I'm studying every day and maintaining my record!

🤝
🌍

Contexto cultural

The concept of 'Iji' is central to Japanese craftsmanship and heritage. Many family businesses in Japan have lasted over 200 years because they prioritize 'maintaining' quality over aggressive expansion. This phrase captures the Zen-like focus on the effort required to stay still in a changing world.

💡

The 'Suru' Shortcut

In fast conversation, you can drop the 'o' and just say 'Iji suru'. It sounds much more natural when chatting with friends.

⚠️

Not for Broken Hearts

Don't use 'Iji' to mean 'fixing' a relationship. It implies keeping things exactly as they are. If things are bad, you want 'Kaizen' (improvement), not 'Iji'!

Em 15 segundos

  • Keeping a situation or state exactly as it is right now.
  • Used for health, business standards, and physical objects.
  • Implies effort is needed to prevent things from getting worse.

What It Means

維持をする is all about the status quo. It means you are putting in the effort to keep a situation, a physical state, or a standard right where it is. Imagine you finally reached your goal weight. You aren't trying to lose more, but you definitely don't want to gain it back. That steady middle ground is 維持. It is the art of not letting things slip. It is not about growth or repair. It is about consistency and stability.

How To Use It

Grammatically, this is a very friendly phrase. You take a noun—like 健康 (health) or 記録 (record)—and add を維持する. In casual speech, you can even drop the and just say 維持する. It functions like a standard 'suru' verb. You will often see it paired with words related to physical conditions, business metrics, or even abstract concepts like peace. It is the verbal equivalent of a 'keep steady' sign.

When To Use It

You will hear this a lot at the gym. People talk about 体型を維持する (maintaining their physique). It is also huge in the business world. If your team had a great month, your boss might ask you to 現状を維持する (maintain the current status). You can use it when texting a friend about a hobby. Maybe you are trying to keep up a 100-day language streak. That is 維持 in action. It is perfect for any situation where 'steady' is the goal.

When NOT To Use It

Do not use this if something is actually broken. If your phone screen is cracked, you don't 'maintain' it; you 修理する (repair) it. Also, avoid using it for people's feelings in a romantic way. Saying you want to 'maintain' a girlfriend sounds a bit like she is a vintage car. Use 大切にする (to treasure) instead. Finally, if you are actively improving or growing, 維持 is too static. Use 向上する (to improve) for those upward vibes.

Cultural Background

Japan has a deep respect for the 'middle way' and long-term stability. While Western culture often obsesses over constant growth, Japanese culture highly values the effort it takes to keep things the same. Think of the ancient temples in Kyoto. They require constant, meticulous 維持 to look exactly as they did centuries ago. This phrase reflects a cultural pride in consistency and the discipline required to prevent decay. It is about honoring the present moment by keeping it alive.

Common Variations

You will frequently encounter 現状維持 (genjō iji). This is a four-character idiom that means 'maintaining the status quo.' It is a common 'safe' answer in interviews or business meetings. Another one is キープする (keep-suru). This is the katakana version. It feels a bit more modern and casual. Use キープ when talking about your hair color or a spot in line. Use 維持 when you want to sound a bit more grounded and serious.

Notas de uso

The phrase is neutral and very versatile. In formal writing, keep the 'o' particle; in casual speech, you can omit it. Be careful not to use it when you actually mean 'to improve'.

💡

The 'Suru' Shortcut

In fast conversation, you can drop the 'o' and just say 'Iji suru'. It sounds much more natural when chatting with friends.

⚠️

Not for Broken Hearts

Don't use 'Iji' to mean 'fixing' a relationship. It implies keeping things exactly as they are. If things are bad, you want 'Kaizen' (improvement), not 'Iji'!

💬

The Status Quo King

The phrase 'Genjō Iji' (Status Quo) is a bit of a meme in Japanese office culture. It's often used by people who are afraid of change!

Exemplos

7
#1 Talking about fitness goals
😊

今の体重を維持をするのは大変です。

Maintaining my current weight is hard.

A very common use of the phrase in daily life.

#2 In a business meeting
💼

今月の売上を維持をしましょう。

Let's maintain this month's sales figures.

Focuses on keeping performance levels steady.

#3 Texting a friend about a streak
🤝

毎日勉強して、記録を維持してるよ!

I'm studying every day and maintaining my record!

Shows consistency in a personal habit.

#4 Complaining about a car
😊

この古い車を維持をするのはお金がかかる。

Maintaining this old car costs a lot of money.

Refers to the physical upkeep of an object.

#5 A funny realization about laziness
😄

私のやる気は、五分間しか維持をできません。

My motivation can only be maintained for five minutes.

Using a formal-sounding word for a silly personal failing.

#6 Discussing a long-distance relationship
💭

遠距離恋愛を維持をするには努力が必要です。

Effort is necessary to maintain a long-distance relationship.

Used for the abstract 'state' of a relationship.

#7 Formal announcement at a facility
👔

館内の清潔さを維持をするため、ご協力ください。

Please cooperate to maintain the cleanliness of the building.

Very standard for public signs or announcements.

Teste-se

Choose the correct particle and verb form to say 'I want to maintain my health.'

健康___維持を___。

✓ Correto! ✗ Quase. Resposta certa: を / したいです

`健康` is the object being maintained, so we use `を`. `したいです` expresses the desire to do it.

Which word best fits the context of 'keeping things as they are'?

新しい変化はいりません。___維持をしましょう。

✓ Correto! ✗ Quase. Resposta certa: 現状

`現状維持` (genjō iji) is the standard phrase for maintaining the status quo.

🎉 Pontuação: /2

Recursos visuais

Formality of 'Iji o suru'

Casual

Using 'Keep' (Kīpu)

Kīpu shite!

Neutral

Standard 'Iji o suru'

Iji o shimasu.

Formal

Using 'Iji itashimasu'

Iji itashimasu.

Where to use 維持をする

維持をする
💪

At the Gym

Maintaining muscle mass

💼

At the Office

Maintaining quality standards

🚗

With an Old Car

Keeping it running

🤝

In a Relationship

Keeping the peace

Perguntas frequentes

10 perguntas

維持 is about keeping a state or condition steady, while 保存 is about preserving something to prevent it from rotting or being deleted, like food or computer files.

Yes! You can say 家を維持する to mean keeping the house in good condition through regular cleaning and small repairs.

Absolutely. Saying you can 高いパフォーマンスを維持する (maintain high performance) sounds very professional.

Actually, for secrets, we usually use 秘密を守る (himitsu o mamoru), which means 'to protect/keep' the secret.

Not at all, but if you're talking about something very casual like 'keeping a seat,' use キープする (kīpu suru) instead.

The opposite would be 低下する (teika suru - to decline) or 変化する (henka suru - to change).

Yes, you can say 平静を維持する (heisei o iji suru) to mean 'maintaining one's composure' during a stressful time.

維持 is a noun, but when you add をする or する, it becomes a verb. This is very common in Japanese.

Yes, for technical maintenance, you can use 維持 or the more specific technical term 保守 (hoshu).

It means 'maintaining the current situation.' It's used when you don't want to make any changes, for better or worse.

Frases relacionadas

キープする (to keep/maintain - casual)

保つ (tamotsu - to keep/preserve)

継続する (keizoku suru - to continue/carry on)

守る (mamoru - to protect/keep a promise)

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