手頃な（てごろな、tegorona）
- affordable/handy

The Japanese word 手頃な, read as てごろな (tegorona), is an adjective that describes something as being affordable, reasonable, appropriate, or suitable. It implies that something is the right size, price, or level for a particular situation or person. The core idea is "handy" or "just right". It often refers to something that is not too expensive, not too big, or not too difficult to handle. The meaning shifts slightly depending on the context. 手頃な can apply to price, size, effort, or even taste.

⚫︎手頃な値段のレストランを探しています。 Translation: I'm looking for a restaurant with a reasonable price. ⚫︎このカバンは旅行に手頃なサイズです。 Translation: This bag is a good size for traveling. ⚫︎手頃な努力で目標を達成した。 Translation: I achieved my goal with reasonable effort.

You can use 手頃な in a variety of situations. ⚫︎When discussing prices, you would use it to describe something as affordable or reasonably priced. ⚫︎When discussing size, you would use it to describe something as being the right size or not too big/small. ⚫︎When discussing effort, it describes something that doesn't require too much work or is manageable. It's a versatile word and can be used in both formal and informal conversations. Be mindful of the context to ensure you're using it correctly.

手頃な is typically written in hiragana as てごろな. The kanji form is 手頃. However, the kanji is sometimes used, but it's more common to see the hiragana version especially in less formal writing. The okurigana (送りがな) can vary slightly, but it is typically な. It can also be written with the kanji: 手頃な or 手頃 is more common.

⚫︎ 適切な (tekisetsuna): appropriate, suitable ⚫︎ リーズナブルな (rīzunaburu na): reasonable (loanword) ⚫︎ お手頃な (otegorona): more polite/gentle form of 手頃な ⚫︎ 買いやすい (kaiyasui): easy to buy ⚫︎ 適度な (tekidona): moderate, adequate

⚫︎ 高価な (kōkana): expensive ⚫︎ 法外な (hōgaina): exorbitant, excessive ⚫︎ 不適切な (futekisetsuna): inappropriate, unsuitable

このお店のケーキは手頃な価格で美味しいです。 ・Translation: The cakes at this shop are delicious and reasonably priced. ・Explanation: The sentence highlights that the cakes are both tasty and affordable.

週末に手頃な旅行に行きたいと考えています。 ・Translation: I am thinking of going on an affordable trip this weekend. ・Explanation: This implies a trip that is not too expensive or difficult to arrange.

The word 手頃な comes from the words: 手 (te) which means "hand" and 頃 (goro) which means "around that time or when." The word, as a whole, can be interpreted as something that fits in your hand or is suitable to handle. However, in this context, 手頃 means "suitable" or "appropriate," and the な is the adjectival suffix.