Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

手作り (てづくり) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

手て作づくり

て

づ

く

り

Common word›JLPTN2›Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', noun

handmade; handcrafted; homemade

Describes something made by hand rather than mass-produced, often with a sense of warmth or personal care. Can refer to food, crafts, furniture, etc.

母ははの手て作づくりのケーキ

は

いつも

美味おい

しい

。

My mother's homemade cakes are always delicious.

この店みせでは手て作づくりのアクセサリーを売うっている。

This shop sells handmade accessories.

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉を手て作づくりするto make something by hand
彼かの女じょは誕たん生じょう日びケーキを手て作づくりした。
She made the birthday cake by hand.
手て作づくり感かんがあるto have a handmade feel or touch
この人にん形ぎょうには手て作づくり感かんがある。
This doll has a handmade feel to it.
手て作づくりにこだわるto insist on making things by hand
彼かれはパン作づくりで手て作づくりにこだわっている。
He insists on making his bread entirely by hand.

Kanji

手hand
作make, production, prepare
造create, make, structure

Related words

自じ家か製せい
自家製 emphasizes food or drink made in-house rather than bought, while 手作り covers any handmade item, food or craft, made with personal effort.
手て製せい
手製 also means made by hand, but it is a slightly old-fashioned, formal word often used for crafted objects like letters or tools, while 手作り is the common everyday term covering food and crafts alike.
ハンドメイド
ハンドメイド is a modern loanword synonym for 手作り, common in craft and fashion contexts, while 手作り is the native Japanese term used more broadly, including for food.
自じ作さく
手作り stresses a warm, handmade personal touch, while 自作 more broadly covers anything self-produced, including digital or mechanical creations.
ＤＩＹ
手作り emphasizes making something by hand (often food or crafts), whereas ＤＩＹ specifically implies doing a job yourself instead of hiring a professional.

Opposites

既き製せいN1
既製 describes ready-made, mass-produced goods, the opposite of 手作り items that are crafted individually by hand.
インスタント
手作り means homemade or made from scratch, the opposite of インスタント, which describes something pre-processed for quick preparation.

Word family

手て作づくり品ひん
handmade item; handicraft

Built from

手て+作つくる

Written forms

手て作づくりUsage79%
Standard kanji spelling; frequently used in news and everyday writing.
手てづくりUsage18%
Kana-mixed spelling; sometimes used for readability or stylistic effect.
手て造づくりUsage3%
Alternate kanji spelling using 造 (create/build); less common than 手作り.

Etymology

Compound of 手 (hand) and 作り (making, from 作る 'to make'). The spelling 手造り uses 造る (to build/create), which is less common for this word.