noun
The physical hand or arm. In Japanese, 手 can refer to the entire arm from shoulder to fingertips, not just the hand.
See also: お手 (おて)
手を洗ってください。
Please wash your hands.
彼は手を上げて質問した。
He raised his hand and asked a question.
noun
forepaw; foreleg
Colloquial use for an animal's front paw or leg.
See also: お手 (おて)
犬が手をなめている。
The dog is licking its paw.
noun
A person's labor, assistance, or a worker. Often used in compounds like 人手 (hitode, 'manpower') or 手伝い (tetsudai, 'help').
忙しいので手が足りない。
We're busy and short-handed.
引っ越しの手を頼む。
I'll ask for help with the move.
noun
The effort, care, or trouble involved in doing something. Common in phrases like 手がかかる (to require effort/care).
この仕事は手がかかる。
This job takes a lot of effort.
子供に手がかからなくなった。
The child no longer needs so much care.
noun
A method, technique, or trick for doing something. Often used in set phrases like 手を尽くす (to try every means) or いい手 (a good move/technique).
何かいい手はないかな。
I wonder if there's a good way to do this.
彼は交渉の手を知っている。
He knows the tricks of negotiation.
noun
A person's handwriting or the style of their written characters.
彼の手は読みにくい。
His handwriting is hard to read.
noun
Used in patterns like この手の (this kind of) or そういう手の (that sort of).
この手の話はよく聞く。
I often hear this kind of story.
noun
one's hands; one's possession
Indicates possession or control. Most common in the phrase 手に入る (to obtain, to come into one's hands).
See also: 手に入る
やっとチケットが手に入った。
I finally got my hands on a ticket.
noun
ability to cope
Used in the phrase 手に余る (to be beyond one's ability, to be too much to handle).
See also: 手に余る
この問題は私の手に余る。
This problem is beyond my ability to handle.
noun
Used in the compound 山の手 (yamanote, 'hilly section of a city', literally 'mountain's hand/direction'). Rare standalone use.
See also: 山の手
「山の手」の「手」は方角を表す。
The 手 in 山の手 indicates direction.
noun, noun, used as a suffix, counter
A move in board games like go or shogi. Also used as a counter for moves.
次の手を考えている。
I'm thinking about my next move.
三手先を読む。
To read three moves ahead.
指 means 'finger' or 'toe', a specific part of the hand, whereas 手 is the whole hand.
Native Japanese word. The historical derivation is uncertain, but it has been used for 'hand' since Old Japanese. The many extended meanings developed through metaphorical use.