1.
time and effort; time and labor
The combination of effort (手間) and time (暇) invested in doing something carefully. Emphasizes that something requires both patience and work.
A compound of 手間 (effort, labor) and 暇 (time, free time). Together they emphasize the dual investment of both effort and time. Often used positively to praise careful, dedicated work, especially in food preparation and craftsmanship.
Common collocations
- 手間暇をかける: to put in time and effort
- 手間暇を惜しまない: to spare no time or effort
- 手間暇かけた料理: food made with care
Similar words
- 手間: effort / labor — focuses on the work involved, without the time component
- 苦労: hardship / trouble — implies difficulty and suffering, not just investment of effort
- 手数: trouble / bother — often used in polite expressions like お手数ですが
Usage
Very common in food and craft contexts. Advertising and product descriptions often use 手間暇をかけた to emphasize that something was made with care. Can also be written as 手間ヒマ or 手間ひま.