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.

新(あたら)しいパソコンの設定(せってい)に手(て)を焼(や)いた。

I had a hard time setting up the new computer.

子犬(こいぬ)がいたずらばかりするので、手(て)を焼(や)いている。

The puppy keeps getting into mischief, so it's quite a handful.

Etymology

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.