お手て前まえ

noun

tea ceremony procedures; skill at serving tea

Refers to the formalized steps and etiquette of preparing and serving matcha in the Japanese tea ceremony. Often used in the context of tea ceremony lessons.

• 茶さ道どう教きょう室しつでお手て前まえを習ならっています。

  I'm learning tea ceremony procedures at a tea ceremony class.

• 彼かの女じょのお手て前まえはとても美うつくしい。

  Her way of serving tea is very beautiful.

noun

skill; dexterity; artistry

Only when written お手前

General skill or cleverness in doing something, often with one's hands. Restricted to the お手前 spelling. Less common than 腕前 (うでまえ) in modern Japanese.

• 彼かれの料りょう理りのお手て前まえはなかなかのものだ。

  His skill at cooking is quite something.

pronoun

you (archaic, between samurai of equal rank)

Only when written お手前

Archaic second-person pronoun used mainly between samurai of equal status. Not used in modern Japanese outside historical contexts.

• 「お手て前まえ、いかがなされた」と侍さむらいが言いった。

  "You, what happened?" said the samurai.