手(て)がかかる

てがかかる

expression

to require a lot of care; to be a handful

1. to require much care or effort; to be a handful

Said of children, pets, tasks, or dishes that demand a lot of time and attention; literally 'hands are taken up.' Before a noun it becomes 手(て)のかかる: 手(て)のかかる子(こ) is a child who needs a lot of looking after.

この子(こ)は本当(ほんとう)に手(て)がかかる。

This child is a real handful.

手(て)がかかる料理(りょうり)だが、その分(ぶん)おいしい。

It's a dish that takes a lot of work, but it's delicious for it.

子育(こそだ)てで一番(いちばん)手(て)がかかった時期(じき)は、今(いま)思(おも)えば一番(いちばん)楽(たの)しかった。

The period of child-rearing that took the most effort was, looking back, the most enjoyable.

Literally 'hands get taken up.' Before a noun the phrase takes の: 手(て)のかかる子(こ) (a child who needs a lot of attention).

Common patterns

手(て)がかかる子(こ): a demanding child
手(て)のかかる料理(りょうり): an elaborate dish
手(て)がかからなくなる: to become less demanding (as a child grows up)

Similar words

手間(てま)がかかる: to take time and effort — about a piece of work rather than the care of a person
世話(せわ)が焼(や)ける: to need looking after — close in meaning, slightly more exasperated
手(て)を焼(や)く: to have trouble with — the speaker's struggle rather than the object's demands

Related Words

Related: 手(て)を焼(や)く (to have trouble with)

Related: 手間(てま) (time and effort)

general

Added 2026.9.10 0:45 · Revised 2026.9.10 0:54

30500/30830_tegakakaru