手を焼く

• 読み: てをやく
• ローマ字: te wo yaku
• 漢字の分解: 手 (te/shu) — hand; 焼 (ya/shou) — to burn, bake
• 発音: /te.o.ja.kɯ/

意味

To not know what to do with someone or something; to be at a loss; to have difficulty dealing with a troublesome situation.

A compound expression combining 手 (hand) with 焼く (to burn). Group 1 (godan) conjugation via 焼く. Conveys frustration when dealing with a persistent problem, especially a difficult person or child.

例文

1. 息子の反抗期に手を焼いている。
2. 新入社員の教育に手を焼く先輩も少なくない。
3. この問題には専門家でも手を焼くらしい。

使い方ガイド

場面: parenting, workplace, daily life

トーン: frustrated

起源と歴史

From the image of burning one's hands while trying to handle something — metaphorically, being unable to deal with a difficult situation no matter what one tries.

文化的背景

時代: Edo period

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal