手 間(てま)

てま

noun

time and effort, labor

1. time and effort, labor, trouble

The time and energy required to do something.

手間(てま)がかかる料理(りょうり)だ。

It's a dish that takes a lot of effort to make.

手間(てま)を省(はぶ)くために機械(きかい)を使(つか)う。

I use a machine to save time and effort.

お手間(てま)を取(と)らせて申(もう)し訳(わけ)ありません。

I'm sorry for the trouble.

Polite expression

COMMON PATTERNS:

手間(てま)がかかる (to take time and effort)
手間(てま)を省(はぶ)く (to save effort, to cut corners)
手間(てま)を惜(お)しまない (to spare no effort)
お手間(てま)を取(と)らせる (to cause trouble - polite)

COMMON COMPOUND WORDS:

手間(てま)暇(ひま) (time and effort)
手間(てま)賃(ちん) (labor charge, fee for work)
二度(にど)手間(でま) (double work, having to do something twice)

SIMILAR WORDS:

手間(てま): Time and labor (neutral)
面倒(めんどう): Trouble, bother (often implies annoyance)

Related Words

Related: 面倒(めんどう) (trouble)

general

Added 2026.1.12 18:38 · Revised 2026.5.27 0:12

03500/03554_tema