Word Meaning 手が離せない

てがはなせない te ga hanasenai

手が離せない is read as てがはなせない (te ga hanasenai) and means unable to leave the work at hand.

Meaning

English

  1. unable to leave the work at hand
  2. right in the middle of something
  3. tied up
  4. busy

Reading

Kana

てがはなせない

Romaji

te ga hanasenai

Writing Variants

  • 手がはなせない てがはなせない tegahanasenai
  • 手が放せない てがはなせない te ga hanasenai

Stroke Sequence

6 Characters • 37 Total Strokes

Study Signals and Categories

JLPT N1 Jōyō Upper Grade Kanken 4級 Proverb Rank 40361 Priority G

Related Vocabulary

Max. 12

手離れ

てばなれ

finishing a job

手が離れる

てがはなれる

to become independent

手を離れる

てをはなれる

to become independent

手堅い

てがたい

steady

手厳しい

てきびしい

harsh (criticism, treatment, etc.)

手ぬぐい

てぬぐい

(hand) towel

手伝い

てつだい

help

手洗い

てあらい

hand-washing (laundry, etc.)

手早い

てばやい

nimble

手ごわい

てごわい

difficult

手痛い

ていたい

severe

手厚い

てあつい

warm (treatment, reception, etc.)

Example Sentences

10

I'm tied up right now.

I can't get away from work now.

I'm sorry, I'm doing something else now.

I'm busy right now. Can it wait for a bit?

I'm sorry, but I'm busy right now.

Unfortunately, I'm now too busy.

I'm just as busy as Tom is.

I'm sorry, I'm busy right now.

Sorry, I've got my hands full now.

I have my hands full right now. God, you really do always have the worst timing.