手放す

• Reading: てばなす
• Romaji: tebanasu
• Kanji breakdown: 手 (te) — hand; 放 (hana/hō) — release, set free
• Pronunciation: /te.ba.na.sɯ/

Meaning

To release; to let go of; to part with; to sell. Implies relinquishing something one held or owned.

A Group 1 (godan) verb conjugated on the -す stem. 手放す covers both physical release (letting go of a handle) and the emotional act of parting with a possession, a relationship, or an opportunity. The phrase 手放しで (without reservation, unreservedly) is a related idiom meaning to praise without qualification, as if clapping freely with both hands.

Examples

1. 祖父は長年大切にしてきた土地を、やむを得ず手放すことにした。 My grandfather reluctantly decided to part with the land he had treasured for many years.
2. そのチャンスを手放したことを、今でも後悔している。 I still regret letting go of that opportunity.
3. 子供が独立すると、親はなかなか手放せないものだ。 Once children become independent, parents find it hard to let them go.

Usage Guide

Context: property, relationships, business, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 手 (te — hand) + 放す (hanasu — to release, to let free). 放す shares its root with 放つ (hanatsu), both conveying the act of freeing or releasing.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical–Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal