手(て)を焼(や)く

てをやく
expression, verb phrase
to have trouble with; to be a handful; to be at one's wit's end
1. to have trouble with; to be a handful; to be at one's wit's end
To struggle with handling someone or something difficult. Often used for children, pets, or problematic situations that resist one's efforts to manage them.
息子(むすこ)には手(て)を焼(や)いている。
My son is a handful.
この問題(もんだい)には随分(ずいぶん)手(て)を焼(や)いた。
I really struggled with this problem.
先生(せんせい)でさえ、彼(かれ)には手(て)を焼(や)いている。
Even the teacher is having trouble handling him.

IDIOM ORIGIN:
Literally "to burn one's hand." The image is of being burned while trying to handle something hot (difficult), suggesting the difficulty and frustration of dealing with a challenging person or situation.

GRAMMAR:
〜に手(て)を焼(や)く - to have trouble with ~, to struggle with ~

CONJUGATION:

  • 手(て)を焼(や)く (present)
  • 手(て)を焼(や)いている (progressive - currently struggling)
  • 手(て)を焼(や)いた (past)
  • 手(て)を焼(や)かされる (causative-passive - to be made to struggle)

COMMON SUBJECTS:

  • 子供(こども) - children
  • 生徒(せいと) - students
  • 部下(ぶか) - subordinates
  • ペット - pets
  • 問題(もんだい) - problems

SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS:

  • 手(て)に負(お)えない - to be unmanageable
  • 持(も)て余(あま)す - to have more than one can handle
  • 頭(あたま)を悩(なや)ます - to worry over, to rack one's brains
  • 扱(あつか)いに困(こま)る - to have trouble handling

REGISTER:
Neutral. Common in everyday conversation.

core
Added 2026.1.19 17:19 · Revised 2026.1.19 21:14
07000/07438_tewoyaku