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手間をかける
tema wo kakeru
to put in effort
この料理は手間をかけているから、とても美味しい。
This dish is delicious because it takes a lot of effort to make.
informal
To spend time and effort on a task to make it better or more detailed.
手作りのケーキは手間をかけているから、市販のものより美味しい。
Homemade cakes are delicious because they take effort to make, unlike store-bought ones.
彼女は手間をかけて部屋を飾った。
She put in effort to decorate the room.
Commonly used to describe tasks that require attention to detail or extra care.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Common Contexts
Use '手間をかける' when talking about cooking, crafting, decorating, or any task where extra care leads to a better result. It’s often used in positive contexts, like praising someone’s work.
Gold Rule
Effort vs. Time
While '手間をかける' implies effort, '時間をかける' (to spend time) is more neutral and doesn’t necessarily imply care or quality. For example, '時間をかけて勉強する' (to study for a long time) doesn’t mean the studying is high-quality, just that it took time.
Word Origin
手間 (tema) means 'labor' or 'work,' and かける (kakeru) means 'to spend' or 'to apply.' The phrase literally means 'to apply labor' but is used idiomatically to describe putting in careful effort.
Usage Notes
Used when describing tasks that require extra attention or care, often implying a positive outcome from the effort. Contrast with '手間を省く' (to save effort), which implies doing something quickly or carelessly.
Word Breakdown
手間
labor, work, effort
nounを
object marker
particleかける
to spend, to apply
verb和英辞典