JLPT N1Spoken and writtenSaving face

手て前まえhaving said so; with … watching

You said or did something in front of others, or you are in someone's debt, and now you can't back out or refuse without losing face: "having promised, I can't very well…". After a word for people, の手て前まえ is "with them watching".

必かならず完かん成せいさせると約やく束そくした手て前まえ、今いまさらできないとは言いえない。

Having promised I would get it finished no matter what, I can't now say I can't.

子こどもたちの手て前まえ、約やく束そくを破やぶるわけにはいかない。

With the children watching, I can't very well break a promise.

After a verb

Verb in the た-form ／ている + 手て前まえ

約やく束そくした手て前まえ, 言いってしまった手て前まえ. ている is for a standing position: what you keep telling people (説せつ明めいしている手て前まえ) or being in someone's debt (世せ話わになっている手て前まえ).

After a noun

People + の + 手て前まえ

子こどもの手て前まえ, 部ぶ下かの手て前まえ, 世せ間けんの手て前まえ (for appearances' sake).

Before it: What you said or did where others could see: 約やく束そくした, 言いった, 引ひき受うけた. Or the onlookers themselves, with の.
After it: What you now can't do, or can't get out of: 〜わけにはいかない, 〜とは言いえない, 〜にくい, 〜ざるを得えない.
Said about: Mostly yourself, a little ruefully.
Where you'll meet it: Adults say it in conversation, and it is in essays and novels.

In use

自じ分ぶんから引ひき受うけた手て前まえ、忙いそがしいからと断ことわるわけにはいかなかった。

I had offered to do it myself, so I couldn't very well say no just because I was busy.

監かん督とくとして選せん手しゅに努ど力りょくを求もとめている手て前まえ、自じ分ぶんだけ妥だ協きょうするわけにはいかない。

As the coach I keep demanding effort from the players, so I can't very well be the only one to settle for less.

後こう輩はいの手て前まえ、知しらないとは言いいにくかった。

With my juniors there, it was hard to say I didn't know.

手て前まえ or からには?

Both follow something you committed yourself to. 手て前まえ is about how backing out would look to others, and you may well wish you could.

約やく束そくした手て前まえ、行いかないわけにはいかない。

I said I would go, so I can't very well not go.

からには・以上（は）N2

"Now that I have …, I will": duty or resolve drawn from the fact itself. Nobody need be watching.

約やく束そくしたからには、途と中ちゅうで投なげ出だしてはいけない。

You gave your word, so you can't give up halfway.

Other 手て前まえ

After a place, 手て前まえ is simply the near side of it: just before you get there.

郵ゆう便びん局きょくは、次つぎの信しん号ごうの手て前まえにあります。

The post office is just before the next traffic light.

It is also an old humble "I": a shopkeeper in a period drama says 手て前まえども, "we". The rough てめえ, "you", is the same word.

Check yourself

1Which sentence sounds natural?

Choose an answer to see why.

2What does this mean?

客きゃくの手て前まえ、店てん長ちょうは怒いかりをこらえた。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

家か族ぞくに心しん配ぱいはいらないと言いった手て前まえ、すぐに助たすけを求もとめるのは気きが引ひけた。

Having told my family there was nothing to worry about, I felt awkward asking for help so soon.

公おおやけの場ばで支し持じすると明めい言げんした手て前まえ、簡かん単たんには方ほう針しんを変かえられない。

Having declared my support in public, I can't easily change course.

客きゃくに安あん全ぜんだと説せつ明めいしている手て前まえ、わずかな異い常じょうも見み過すごすわけにはいかない。

We tell our customers it is safe, so we can't let even a slight irregularity pass.