片 手 間(かたてま)

かたてま

noun

spare time; on the side; sideline; incidentally

work time-general

1. spare time; on the side; sideline

Doing something as a secondary activity while one's main attention is elsewhere; treating something as a side project rather than a primary focus.

片手間(かたてま)に仕事(しごと)をしては失礼(しつれい)だ。

It's rude to do the work half-heartedly.

片手間(かたてま)で絵(え)を描(か)いている。

I paint on the side.

片手間(かたてま)の仕事(しごと)ではなく、本腰(ほんごし)を入(い)れて取(と)り組(く)んでほしい。

I want you to tackle it seriously, not as a sideline.

Forms

片(かた) (one of a pair, partial) + 手間(てま) (time/effort)
Literally: partial effort, using only "one hand"

Common patterns

片手間(かたてま)に/で + verb: doing something on the side
片手間(かたてま)の + noun: something done as a sideline

Usage

Can be neutral (describing a side activity) or negative (implying lack of dedication):

Neutral: 片手間(かたてま)で副業(ふくぎょう)をしている (I have a side job)
Negative: 片手間(かたてま)でやるな (Don't do it half-heartedly)

Common collocations

片手間(かたてま)の仕事(しごと): side work
片手間(かたてま)にやる: to do on the side
片手間(かたてま)で済(す)ませる: to deal with casually

Similar words

本腰(ほんごし)を入(い)れる: to get down to something seriously (the opposite attitude)

Related Words

Compare: 本腰(ほんごし) (serious effort, full commitment)

general

Added 2026.1.31 11:28 · Revised 2026.9.30 5:42

09000/09077_katatema