手て間ま

noun

time and effort; labor; trouble; time-consuming task

Often used for the effort, trouble, or time needed to do something, especially in phrases such as 手間がかかる, 手間を省く, and 手間を取らせる. It can also refer to the troublesome or time-consuming work itself.

• この料りょう理りは手て間まがかかるが、その分ぶんおいしい。

  This dish takes a lot of time and effort, but it tastes that much better.

• 手て間まを省はぶくために、下したごしらえ済ずみの野や菜さいを買かった。

  I bought pre-prepared vegetables to save myself the trouble.

• 領りょう収しゅう書しょを一いち枚まいずつ確かく認にんするのは、かなりの手て間まだ。

  Checking the receipts one by one is quite a time-consuming task.

noun

labor charge; pay for labor; wages

An abbreviated use corresponding to 手間賃. It is most natural in contexts such as estimates, repair work, construction, or pay for manual labor, where 手間 means the charge or payment for the work done.

See also: 手間賃

• 見み積つもりは、材ざい料りょう費ひ三さん千ぜん円えん、手て間ま二に千せん円えんです。

  The estimate is 3,000 yen for materials and 2,000 yen for labor.