noun
small shallow dish
A small, shallow dish, often used for soy sauce or condiments. The term is rare and associated with female language. Cross-referenced with 手塩皿.
See also: 手塩皿
お手塩に醤油を入れてください。
Please pour soy sauce into the small dish.
手塩皿 is a more common term for a small dish used for soy sauce or condiments, without the feminine or rare nuance of お手塩.
The word is composed of the honorific prefix お (o-) and 手塩 (tesho), which refers to a small dish for salt or condiments. The exact historical derivation of 手塩 is uncertain, but it is conventionally associated with a small, hand-held dish.