Word Meaning 手も足も出ない

てもあしもでない te mo ashi mo denai

手も足も出ない is read as てもあしもでない (te mo ashi mo denai) and means cannot do a thing.

Meaning

English

  1. cannot do a thing
  2. feeling handcuffed
  3. being at the end of one's tether
  4. being at one's wit's end

Reading

Kana

てもあしもでない

Romaji

te mo ashi mo denai

Stroke Sequence

7 Characters • 28 Total Strokes

Study Signals and Categories

JLPT N4 Jōyō Grade 1 Kanken 10級 Proverb Rank 84995 Priority N

Related Vocabulary

Max. 12

手足

てあし

hands and feet

出足

であし

turnout (of people)

人手不足

ひとでぶそく

labour shortage

足が出る

あしがでる

to have a secret revealed

一挙手一投足

いっきょしゅいっとうそく

one's every action

露出不足

ろしゅつぶそく

underexposure

手ぬぐい

てぬぐい

(hand) towel

手早い

てばやい

nimble

Example Sentences

1

I can't get anywhere with it.