手（て、te）
- hand
Romaji:
Japanese:
Kana:
TE
手
て
手 (て, romaji: te) means "hand" in Japanese. It is a N5 Low-level Noun word.
| Meaning: | hand |
| Level: | N5 Low |
| Lexical Category: | Noun (名詞) |
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AI Explanation
The Japanese word 手 (て) primarily means "hand." It refers to the body part at the end of the arm, used for grasping, touching, and manipulating objects. However, 手 is a versatile word and can also have extended meanings.
⚫︎彼女は美しい手をしている。 Translation: She has beautiful hands. ⚫︎この仕事は手間がかかる。 Translation: This work takes a lot of time and effort. ⚫︎手を貸してください。 Translation: Please lend me a hand.
⚫︎ 手 is used in everyday conversation to refer to the physical hand. ⚫︎ It's also used in various idiomatic expressions. ⚫︎ Context is crucial for understanding the intended meaning. For example, 手間 refers to "labor" or "trouble," not literally "hand." ⚫︎ It can be a counter in certain contexts (though less common than some other nouns.)
⚫︎ The basic form is written in hiragana as て. ⚫︎ The kanji form is 手. ⚫︎ There are no variations in okurigana for the basic word 手 itself, but variations occur in compound words (e.g., 手伝い - てつだい, to help).
⚫︎ 腕 (うで): Arm (more generally, from shoulder to wrist) ⚫︎ 指 (ゆび): Finger ⚫︎ Other words depend on the specific context. For instance, in the context of "helping," you might use 手伝い (てつだい - assistance). ⚫︎ ハンド (hando): This is a loanword from English "hand".
⚫︎ This depends heavily on context. There isn't a direct antonym for "hand" itself. ⚫︎ In the context of "helping", the opposite would be "hindrance" or not helping. ⚫︎ Regarding "effort", the opposite might be "easy."
彼は大きな手で私を抱きしめた。 ・Translation: He embraced me with his big hands. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 手 to refer to the physical hands used in the act of embracing.
この問題は手強い解決策を必要とする。 ・Translation: This problem requires a strong solution. ・Explanation: Here, 手強い（てづよい - strong / firm） is an adjective, using the kanji of 手 as a part of the adjective, but not directly meaning hand.
⚫︎ The kanji 手 is a pictograph representing a hand. ⚫︎ The hiragana て derived from the kanji 手 ⚫︎ The origins can be traced back to ancient Chinese characters and evolved over time, taking on meanings related to action, skill, and agency.