tehuda wo motu.

It is usually pronounced てふだ.

• 手 = て
• 札 = ふだ

So the full sentence is:

てふだ を もつ。

A common beginner mistake is to guess a reading from the individual kanji, but in compounds the reading is often fixed and must be learned as a word.

を marks the direct object of the verb.

In 手札を持つ, the thing being possessed or held is 手札, so 手札 is marked with を.

Structure:

• 手札 = the thing
• を = object marker
• 持つ = to hold / to have

So grammatically, it is:

[object] を [verb]

持つ is the dictionary form of the verb. This is the basic form you see in vocabulary lists and simple example sentences.

In actual conversation, if you want to say someone currently has something, 持っている is also very common:

• 手札を持つ = to have/hold cards; to possess cards
• 手札を持っている = is holding/has cards

The dictionary form can sound more general, like:

• a definition
• a statement of ability or possession
• a plain written example

So 手札を持つ。 is a natural basic example sentence.

Yes. Japanese often leaves out the subject when it is understood from context.

So 手札を持つ。 could mean:

• I have cards.
• You have cards.
• He/She has cards.
• They have cards.

Japanese does this all the time. The subject is often omitted if it is obvious or not important.

持つ is in the plain non-past form.

That form can express:

• a present/general meaning: has / hold(s)
• a future meaning, depending on context: will have / will hold

In a simple dictionary-style example like this, the most natural interpretation is a general one: to have/hold cards.

It can mean either, depending on context.

With something like 手札, 持つ often means to have or to possess, not only physically to hold in your hand at that exact moment.

So the nuance may be:

• literal: having cards in your hand
• figurative: having options, resources, or a strategic advantage

Japanese 持つ is broader than English hold in many cases.

Literally, 手札 means the cards in one’s hand, such as in a card game.

By extension, it can also mean:

• one’s available options
• one’s resources
• one’s tricks or strategic tools

So depending on context, 手札を持つ could be very literal or somewhat figurative.

Both can be possible, but they are not exactly the same.

• 手札がある = there are cards / one has cards
• 手札を持つ = to hold/have cards

ある focuses more on existence or availability.
持つ focuses more on possession.

So:

• 手札がある can sound like there are cards available / in hand
• 手札を持つ sounds more like possess cards / hold cards

In many contexts, both are understandable, but 持つ emphasizes the possessor a little more.

They are probably there only to help learners see the parts clearly.

Normally, Japanese is written without spaces:

手札を持つ。

Learner materials often add spaces to show:

• the word
• the particle
• the verb

But in normal Japanese writing, you usually would not put spaces there.

Yes. That is a very natural polite form.

Compare:

• 手札を持つ。 = plain form
• 手札を持っています。 = polite form

Also:

• 持つ = dictionary/plain
• 持っています = polite, often used in normal conversation

So if you are speaking politely, 手札を持っています is often the safer choice.

It can be, but very often it appears with more context.

For example:

• 多くの手札を持つ。 = to have many cards/options
• まだ手札を持っている。 = still has cards/options left
• 相手は強い手札を持っている。 = the opponent has a strong hand

By itself, 手札を持つ。 works fine as a short example sentence, but in real usage it often appears with a subject, time expression, or descriptive context.

Yes. 持つ is a godan verb.

That matters when you conjugate it:

• 持つ = dictionary form
• 持たない = negative
• 持ちます = polite
• 持って = te-form
• 持った = past

The つ changes in predictable ways during conjugation, so it is useful to learn 持つ as a full verb pattern, not just as a translation.

Yes. The grammar pattern is very simple:

noun + を + 持つ

For example:

• 傘を持つ = to hold/have an umbrella
• 鍵を持つ = to have a key
• 自信を持つ = to have confidence

So 手札を持つ is a good example of a very common Japanese sentence pattern.