手を焼く

• Reading: てをやく
• Romaji: te wo yaku
• Kanji breakdown: 手 (te/shu) — hand; 焼 (ya/shou) — to burn, bake
• Pronunciation: /te.o.ja.kɯ/

Meaning

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.

Examples

1. 息子の反抗期に手を焼いている。 I'm struggling with my son's rebellious phase.
2. 新入社員の教育に手を焼く先輩も少なくない。 There are quite a few seniors who have a hard time training new employees.
3. この問題には専門家でも手を焼くらしい。 It seems even experts have trouble dealing with this problem.

Usage Guide

Context: parenting, workplace, daily life

Tone: frustrated

Origin & History

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.

Cultural Context

Era: Edo period

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal