手回(てまわ)し

てまわし
noun
hand-operated; preparation; arrangements
mechanicalpreparationplanning
1. hand-operated; hand-cranked; manual
operated by turning a handle by hand rather than by electricity or motor
手回(てまわ)しの発電機(はつでんき)。
A hand-cranked generator.
昔(むかし)は手回(てまわ)しのミシンを使(つか)っていた。
In the old days, they used hand-operated sewing machines.
手回(てまわ)しオルガンの音(おと)が聞(き)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(てまわ)しよく準備(じゅんび)してあった。
Preparations had been made efficiently in advance.
彼(かれ)は手回(てまわ)しがいい。
He is good at making arrangements.
既(すで)に手回(てまわ)しが済(す)んでいたようだ。
It seems the arrangements had already been made.

手回(てまわ)し has two distinct senses: hand-operated (physical) and making arrangements (abstract).

SENSE 1 — HAND-OPERATED:
Used as a modifier before nouns to describe hand-cranked or manually operated devices:

SENSE 2 — ARRANGEMENTS:
Often used in set expressions about preparing or arranging things efficiently:

  • 手回(てまわ)しがいい: good at making arrangements
  • 手回(てまわ)しよく: with good preparation, efficiently
  • 手回(てまわ)しが済(す)む: arrangements are complete

Related words

Related Words

Related: 根回(ねまわ)し (behind-the-scenes groundwork…)
Related: 段取(だんど)り (planning, preparation steps)
Related: 準備(じゅんび) (preparation)
general
Added 2026.1.25 14:59 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
08000/08127_temawashi