手(て)を借(か)りる

てをかりる

expression

to get someone's help; to borrow a hand

1. to get help from someone; to enlist someone's assistance

To ask for or receive practical assistance from another person. Literally means to borrow someone's hands, implying physical or practical help rather than emotional support.

友人(ゆうじん)の手(て)を借(か)りて引(ひ)っ越(こ)しをした。

I moved house with the help of a friend.

誰(だれ)の手(て)も借(か)りずに一人(ひとり)でやった。

I did it alone without anyone's help.

専門家(せんもんか)の手(て)を借(か)りなければ、この問題(もんだい)は解決(かいけつ)できないだろう。

This problem probably can't be solved without the help of an expert.

A common idiomatic expression where 手(て) (hand) represents labor or assistance. The person whose help is borrowed is marked with の. The negative pattern 誰(だれ)の手(て)も借(か)りずに (without anyone's help) is especially common.

The related expression 猫(ねこ)の手(て)も借(か)りたい (so busy I'd even borrow a cat's paws) is a well-known idiom describing extreme busyness.

Common patterns

〜の手(て)を借(か)りる: to get help from ~
誰(だれ)の手(て)も借(か)りずに: without anyone's help
人(ひと)の手(て)を借(か)りる: to get someone's help
猫(ねこ)の手(て)も借(か)りたい: so busy one would accept help from anyone (idiom)

Similar words

手伝(てつだ)ってもらう: to have someone help — more direct and everyday
力(ちから)を借(か)りる: to borrow someone's strength/ability — similar but implies needing someone's influence or ability, not just labor
助(たす)けを求(もと)める: to seek help — more urgent, often implies a plea

general

Added 2026.4.28 0:09 · Revised 2026.9.14 14:06

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