(てあし)

てあし
noun
hands and feet; limbs
body-part
1. hands and feet, limbs
The hands and feet collectively, or all four limbs of a person or animal.
手足(てあし)(つめ)たい
My hands and feet are cold.
(あか)ちゃん手足(てあし)バタバタさせている
The baby is flailing its arms and legs.
(さむ)手足(てあし)感覚(かんかく)なくなった。
I lost feeling in my hands and feet from the cold.
2. right-hand man, trusted agent
A person who acts as an extension of someone else's will, carrying out their orders faithfully. Often used for subordinates or loyal followers.
He worked as the president's right-hand man.
To use subordinates as if they were extensions of oneself.
Without capable people to act as one's agents, an organization cannot function.

Usage

In sense 1, 手足(てあし) refers to the physical hands and feet (or all four limbs). It is commonly used when describing sensations like cold or numbness, or physical movements.

In sense 2, the word is used figuratively to mean a person who faithfully carries out someone else's wishes, like a loyal subordinate or agent. The expression 手足(てあし)のように使(つか) ("to use someone like one's own hands and feet") can carry a negative nuance of treating people as mere tools.

Common collocations