持ち主

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 持ち主 is read as もちぬし and is a noun for the owner or person who possesses an object or animal.
• Basic usage: The owner of a lost item appears in 財布の持ち主, while a pet owner appears in 犬の持ち主.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Person and possession
  • The possessed item is linked with の; the word denotes the person rather than the object.
• Difference from 所有者
  • 所有者 readily marks a legal or formal owner, while 持ち主 is the everyday term for the actual owner.