手のひら

• Reading: てのひら
• Romaji: tenohira
• Kanji breakdown: 手 (te) — hand (のひら from 平, flat surface)
• Pronunciation: /te.no.çi.ɾa/

Meaning

Palm of the hand; the flat inner surface of the hand.

A noun referring to the open, inner side of the hand. Can also be written as 掌 (tanagokoro/tenohira) in kanji, but the hiragana form 手のひら is far more common in modern usage. Appears in many idiomatic expressions such as 手のひらを返す (to do an about-face; to suddenly change one's attitude) and 手のひらサイズ (palm-sized).

Examples

1. 手のひらに汗をかくほど緊張した。 I was so nervous my palms were sweating.
2. 赤ちゃんの手のひらは驚くほど小さい。 A baby's palms are surprisingly tiny.
3. 手のひらを返したように態度が変わった。 His attitude did a complete 180 overnight.

Usage Guide

Context: body, daily life, idioms, descriptions

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From 手 (te, hand) + の (possessive particle) + ひら (hira, flat surface). Literally 'the flat surface of the hand.' The word ひら is related to 平ら (taira, flat), describing the broad, open part of the hand.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal