手柄（てがら、tegara）
- achievement/exploit

The Japanese word 手柄 means "achievement," "merit," "exploit," or "triumph." It refers to a noteworthy accomplishment, particularly one that results in a positive outcome, benefit, or success. It often implies a demonstration of skill, courage, or effectiveness, and it can be used in various contexts, from personal accomplishments to professional successes or even battlefield victories. The [手柄] is something to be proud of.

⚫︎今回のプロジェクトでの彼の[手柄]は大きい。 Translation: His achievement in this project is significant. ⚫︎あの将軍は数々の[手柄]を立てた。 Translation: That general achieved many exploits. ⚫︎チームの勝利は、全員の努力の[手柄]です。 Translation: The team's victory is a merit of everyone's efforts.

手柄 is used to describe a specific achievement or accomplishment, and it carries a positive connotation, highlighting the value or significance of the feat. It can be used in both formal and informal settings, although its usage is more common in contexts where the accomplishment is considered notable or deserving of recognition. It often focuses on the result of action.

手柄 is typically written in kanji as 手柄. The reading is てがら (hiragana). There are no other common ways to write this word. The okurigana is fixed.

⚫︎ 功績（こうせき - kouseki): Achievement, merit ⚫︎ 業績（ぎょうせき - gyou seki): Achievement, performance, results ⚫︎ 成果（せいか - seika): Result, achievement, outcome ⚫︎ 功労（こうろう - kourou): meritorious service, contribution

⚫︎ 失敗（しっぱい - shippai): Failure ⚫︎ 欠点（けってん - ketten): Weakness, fault ⚫︎ 失態（しったい - shittai): Blunder, failure, mistake

彼は難しい問題を解決し、チームに大きな[手柄]をもたらした。 ・Translation: He solved the difficult problem and brought a great achievement to the team. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates how 手柄 is used to describe a successful outcome of a challenging situation.

彼女の[手柄]は、新しい技術の開発によって社会に貢献したことだ。 ・Translation: Her achievement is that she contributed to society through the development of new technology. ・Explanation: This sentence shows the use of 手柄 in the context of contributing to society.

The word 手柄 is composed of two parts: 手 (te), meaning "hand," and 柄 (gara), meaning "handle," "design," or "pattern." The meaning of 柄 evolved to denote "a cause or reason," and together they refer to the "achievement that can be grasped by hand."