手探(てさぐ)り

てさぐり
noun
groping, fumbling, trial and error
action
1. groping, feeling one's way
Physically reaching out and touching to find something in the dark or without being able to see.
暗闇(くらやみ)の中(なか)を手探(てさぐ)りで進(すす)んだ。
I felt my way forward in the dark.
手探(てさぐ)りでスイッチを探(さが)した。
I groped around for the switch.
停電(ていでん)で真(ま)っ暗(くら)になり、手探(てさぐ)りで懐中電灯(かいちゅうでんとう)を見(み)つけた。
When it went pitch dark from the power outage, I found the flashlight by groping around.
2. trial and error, fumbling, feeling one's way
Proceeding cautiously without a clear plan, figuring things out as you go.
手探(てさぐ)りの状態(じょうたい)だ。
We're in a state of trial and error.
手探(てさぐ)りで新(あたら)しいビジネスを始(はじ)めた。
I started a new business through trial and error.
前例(ぜんれい)がないプロジェクトなので、手探(てさぐ)りで進(すす)めるしかない。
Since there's no precedent for this project, we have no choice but to feel our way through it.

Etymology

手(て) (hand) + 探(さぐ)り (searching). Literally "searching by hand."

Usage

Often used adverbially with で: 手探(てさぐ)りで (by groping / through trial and error). The figurative sense (sense 2) is very common in business and project management contexts to describe proceeding without a clear roadmap.

Common collocations

Related Words

Compare: 暗中模索(あんちゅうもさく) (groping in the dark, trial and error)
general
Added 2026.2.8 13:52 · Revised 2026.10.10 15:54
10500/10564_tesaguri