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On'yomi
シュ・ズ
SHU / ZU
Kun'yomi
て・て-・-て・た-
te / te / te / ta

hand

Details

Strokes4
Frequency#60
Radicalhand(4)

Stroke Order

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Strokes4

Cultural Context

Etymology

Pictograph depicting a hand with five fingers.

Symbolism

Skill, work, assistance. Represents human agency.

Words & Expressions

Four-Character Compounds

自分勝手

じぶんかって

selfishness; egotism; egoism; selfishness

手前味噌

てまえみそ

self-flattery; singing one's own praises; self-flattery

手練手管

てれんてくだ

wiles; art of coaxing; wiles

徒手空拳

としゅくうけん

being empty-handed; being penniless; having no capital (for starting a business); being empty-handed

得手勝手

えてかって

self-willed; (doing or saying things) to suit one's own convenience; self-willed

拱手傍観

きょうしゅぼうかん

stand idly by and watch; stand idly by and watch

袖手傍観

しゅうしゅぼうかん

looking on with folded arms (with one's hands in one's sleeves); remaining a passive onlooker; looking on with folded arms (with one's hands in one's sleeves)

拍手喝采

はくしゅかっさい

clapping and cheering; applause; clapping and cheering

手前勝手

てまえがって

self-centered; self-centred; selfish; self-centered

常套手段

じょうとうしゅだん

one's habitual practice; usual measure; old trick; one's habitual practice

眼高手低

がんこうしゅてい

able to criticize but not to create (criticise); able to criticize but not to create (criticise)

高手小手

たかてこて

bound hands and arms; bound hands and arms

先手必勝

せんてひっしょう

victory goes to the one who makes the first move; being quick to take action leads to victory; the early bird gets the worm; victory goes to the one who makes the first move

強硬手段

きょうこうしゅだん

tough measure; firm step; strong measure; tough measure

赤手空拳

せきしゅくうけん

barehanded; having no wealth or position to rely on (aside from one's own resourcefulness) (when embarking on something); barehanded

手枷足枷

てかせあしかせ

manacles; shackles; fetters; manacles

無手勝流

むてかつりゅう

winning without fighting; method used to win without fighting; one's own way of doing things (i.e. as different from that of one's instructor); winning without fighting

鬼手仏心

きしゅぶっしん

compassionate ruthlessness; merciless scalpel of a merciful surgeon; a demon's hand and a Buddha's heart; compassionate ruthlessness

Proverbs & Idioms

手八丁口八丁

てはっちょうくちはっちょう

Skillful hands and skillful mouth

Being clever with both words and actions

手を替え品を替え

てをかえしなをかえ

Trying different hands and different goods

Trying various approaches

Poetry

和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

秋の田の かりほの庵の 苫をあらみ わが衣手は 露にぬれつつ

Poem #1 from Hyakunin Isshu

天智天皇Emperor Tenji
7th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

君がため 春の野に出でて 若菜つむ わが衣手に 雪はふりつつ

Poem #15 from Hyakunin Isshu

光孝天皇Emperor Kōkō
9th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

このたびは ぬさもとりあへず 手向山 紅葉のにしき 神のまにまに

Poem #24 from Hyakunin Isshu

菅家Sugawara no Michizane
9th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

春の夜の 夢ばかりなる 手枕に かひなく立たむ 名こそ惜しけれ

Poem #67 from Hyakunin Isshu

周防内侍Suō no Naishi
11th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

世の中は つねにもがもな 渚こぐ あまの小舟の 綱手かなしも

Poem #93 from Hyakunin Isshu

鎌倉右大臣Kamakura no Udaijin
13th century