<p><strong>持</strong>, here, is shortened form of 持有.</p>
<p>持 has a definition on <a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&amp;wdrst=0&amp;wdqb=%E6%8C%81" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MDBG</a> that reads:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>to hold</p>
</blockquote>
<p>持有 is defined on <a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&amp;wdrst=0&amp;wdqb=%E6%8C%81%E6%9C%89" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MDBG</a> as:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>to hold (passport, views etc)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>You, correctly, translated it as <em>with</em>, which also works here.</p>
<hr />
<p>Another term that might help you wrap your mind around this term and usage is the word:</p>
<p><strong>持方</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://ssb22.user.srcf.net/gradint/cedpane.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">CedPane</a> defines it as:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>side (in debate)</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-15T11:04:10.453Z
2020-08-15T11:33:36.407Z
2020-08-15T11:33:36.407Z
Mou某
<p>I read a short news article about Microsoft's internal attitude towards a Tiktok purchase, wherein there is this sentence:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>这些<strong>持</strong>反对意见的员工表示，这可能是他们入职微软以来首次怀疑公司采取措施的正确性。<br />
<sub><a href="http://news.zol.com.cn/750/7501176.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">微软六成员工反对收购TikTok 支持盖茨想法</a>，2020年08月11日</sub></p>
</blockquote>
<p>It means something like</p>
<blockquote>
<p>[<em>My translation</em>:] These employees with oppositional ideas express [that] this might be the first time since they started employment at Microsoft that they doubt the correctness of the company's adopted measures.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I don't understand why 持 is in this sentence.  It's a bit contradictory since 持 is part of <a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E6%94%AF%E6%8C%81" rel="nofollow noreferrer">支持</a> = &quot;support&quot; while <a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E5%8F%8D%E5%AF%B9" rel="nofollow noreferrer">反对</a> = &quot;oppose&quot;.</p>
<p><strong>Question</strong>: Why is 持 in this sentence?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-15T11:06:46.620Z
持 also means 抱有 in dictionary.
shawn_xu
<meaning-in-context>
Why is 持 in the sentence 这些持反对意见的员工表示，……?
# Why is 持 in the sentence 这些持反对意见的员工表示，……?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-08-15)

I read a short news article about Microsoft's internal attitude towards a Tiktok purchase, wherein there is this sentence:

> 这些**持**反对意见的员工表示，这可能是他们入职微软以来首次怀疑公司采取措施的正确性。  
> [微软六成员工反对收购TikTok 支持盖茨想法](http://news.zol.com.cn/750/7501176.html)，2020年08月11日

It means something like

> [*My translation*:] These employees with oppositional ideas express [that] this might be the first time since they started employment at Microsoft that they doubt the correctness of the company's adopted measures.

I don't understand why 持 is in this sentence. It's a bit contradictory since 持 is part of [支持](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E6%94%AF%E6%8C%81) = "support" while [反对](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E5%8F%8D%E5%AF%B9) = "oppose".

**Question**: Why is 持 in this sentence?

**Tags:** meaning-in-context
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 持 also means 抱有 in dictionary.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2020-08-15. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

**持**, here, is shortened form of 持有.

持 has a definition on [MDBG](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdrst=0&wdqb=%E6%8C%81) that reads:

> to hold

持有 is defined on [MDBG](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdrst=0&wdqb=%E6%8C%81%E6%9C%89) as:

> to hold (passport, views etc)

You, correctly, translated it as *with*, which also works here.

---

Another term that might help you wrap your mind around this term and usage is the word:

**持方**

[CedPane](http://ssb22.user.srcf.net/gradint/cedpane.html) defines it as:

> side (in debate)


---

