手がつけられない

• Reading: てがつけられない
• Romaji: tega-tsukerarenai
• Kanji breakdown: 手 (te/shu) — hand
• Pronunciation: /te.ɡa.tsɯ.ke.ɾa.ɾe.na.i/

Meaning

Out of control; unmanageable; beyond help. Describes a situation where nothing can be done.

An idiomatic expression literally meaning 'cannot put a hand to it,' used to describe situations or people that are completely out of control. Commonly describes unruly children (手がつけられないほど暴れる), chaotic situations, or problems too severe to address. Functions as an i-adjective clause. Often used with ほど to indicate the degree of uncontrollability.

Examples

1. 息子が泣き出すと手がつけられないほど暴れる。 When my son starts crying, he acts out so badly it's unmanageable.
2. 火事が広がって手がつけられない状態になった。 The fire spread and became a completely out-of-control situation.
3. 彼は怒ると手がつけられなくなる。 When he gets angry, he becomes impossible to deal with.

Usage Guide

Context: parenting, emergencies, complaints

Tone: exasperated

Origin & History

A native Japanese idiomatic expression combining 手 (te, hand) + が (subject marker) + つけられない (cannot attach/apply). The metaphor conveys that one literally cannot lay a hand on the problem — it has grown beyond the reach of any intervention.

Cultural Context

Era: Edo period

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal