手(て)っ取(と)り早(はや)い

てっとりばやい
i-adjective
quick and easy, the fastest way
1. quick and easy, the fastest way, expedient
Describes a method or approach that is the quickest and simplest way to achieve something. Often implies cutting through complexity to get straight to the point.
手(て)っ取(と)り早(はや)い方法(ほうほう)はないかな。
Isn't there a quicker way to do this?
電話(でんわ)するのが一番(いちばん)手(て)っ取(と)り早(はや)い。
Calling is the quickest option.
自分(じぶん)で調(しら)べるより、詳(くわ)しい人(ひと)に聞(き)くほうが手(て)っ取(と)り早(はや)い。
Rather than looking it up yourself, it's quicker to ask someone who knows.

手(て)っ取(と)り早(はや)い is a colloquial expression meaning the quickest, most efficient way to do something. It is commonly used in spoken Japanese when suggesting shortcuts or practical solutions.

ETYMOLOGY: Literally "quick at taking by hand" — the image is of grabbing something swiftly without fuss.

PATTERN:

  • 〜のが手(て)っ取(と)り早(はや)い: doing ~ is the quickest way
  • 手(て)っ取(と)り早(はや)く + verb: to quickly ~

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 手(て)っ取(と)り早(はや)い方法(ほうほう): the quickest method
  • 手(て)っ取(と)り早(はや)く言(い)うと: to put it simply, in short
  • 手(て)っ取(と)り早(はや)く済(す)ませる: to get it done quickly

NOTE: The adverbial form 手(て)っ取(と)り早(はや)く is very common, especially in the phrase 手(て)っ取(と)り早(はや)く言(い)うと ("to put it briefly").

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Added 2026.2.22 19:24
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