1.
hand-operated; hand-cranked; manual
operated by turning a handle by hand rather than by electricity or motor
手回しの発電機。
A hand-cranked generator.
昔は手回しのミシンを使っていた。
In the old days, they used hand-operated sewing machines.
手回しオルガンの音が聞こえてきた。
The sound of a hand-cranked organ could be heard.
2.
preparation; arrangements; making arrangements in advance
preparing or arranging things beforehand, often behind the scenes
手回しよく準備してあった。
Preparations had been made efficiently in advance.
彼は手回しがいい。
He is good at making arrangements.
既に手回しが済んでいたようだ。
It seems the arrangements had already been made.
USAGE:
Sense 1 (hand-operated) typically appears as a modifier before nouns.
Sense 2 (arrangements) often appears in expressions like 手回しがいい (good at making arrangements) or 手回しよく (efficiently/with good preparation).
RELATED TERMS:
- 根回し (laying the groundwork; behind-the-scenes negotiations)