A1 Idiom 中性

手が離せない

te ga hanasenai

To be busy

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use {手が離せない|てがはなせない} when you are currently too busy with a task to start something new or help someone.

  • Means: To be occupied with a task and unable to switch focus.
  • Used in: Declining requests, explaining delays, or setting boundaries at work.
  • Don't confuse: It is not for general 'busyness' (like having a busy schedule); it's for 'right now'.
Busy hands + urgent task = polite refusal

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means you are busy right now. You use it when you cannot stop your work to help someone.
It is a common way to say you are occupied with a task. It is very useful in offices or at home when you need to ask someone to wait.
This idiom functions as a polite buffer. By stating you are physically unable to release your current task, you avoid a blunt refusal, which is essential for maintaining social harmony in Japanese interactions.
The phrase utilizes the potential negative form to indicate a temporary inability to switch tasks. It is a pragmatic tool for managing expectations in professional settings, effectively communicating that your current cognitive load is at capacity.
From a sociolinguistic perspective, this phrase exemplifies the Japanese preference for 'situation-based' rather than 'person-based' communication. By attributing the refusal to the task itself, the speaker mitigates the potential for interpersonal conflict, adhering to the cultural value of indirectness.
This expression functions as a lexicalized boundary marker. It maps the physical constraint of holding an object onto the abstract domain of task management. The use of the potential negative {離せない} highlights the speaker's lack of agency in the moment, serving as a face-saving strategy that aligns with the 'Amae' and 'Wa' social dynamics.

意思

To be unable to stop what one is doing, indicating being occupied.

🌍

文化背景

Politeness is key. This phrase is a 'cushion' to soften a 'no'. It is often used to signal that you are focused on high-priority work.

💡

Use with 'Ima'

Always add 'Ima' (now) to make it clear you are only busy for a moment.

意思

To be unable to stop what one is doing, indicating being occupied.

💡

Use with 'Ima'

Always add 'Ima' (now) to make it clear you are only busy for a moment.

自我测试

Complete the sentence.

今、料理中で____。

✓ 正确！ ✗ 不太对。 正确答案： 手が離せません

Since you are cooking, you are busy.

🎉 得分： /1

视觉学习工具

常见问题

1 个问题

Yes, it is polite enough for professional settings.

相关表达

🔄

忙しい

synonym

Busy

🔗

手が空く

contrast

To become free

在哪里用

💼

Office Interruption

Colleague: Do you have a second?

You: すみません、今手が離せないので、後でいいですか？

neutral
🍳

Cooking at Home

Partner: Can you grab the salt?

You: ごめん、今手が離せない！

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine you are holding a hot potato; you can't let go because it's too important!

Visual Association

A person with both hands full of papers, looking stressed but polite.

Story

Ken is cooking dinner. His phone rings. He looks at the pan and says, 'I'm in the middle of this!' He can't let go of the spatula. He is 'te ga hanasenai'.

Word Web

忙しい仕事集中後ですみません作業

挑战

Next time you are doing a task, say 'Te ga hanasenai' out loud.

In Other Languages

Spanish moderate

Estar ocupado

Japanese focuses on the inability to release a task.

French high

Avoir les mains prises

Usage is nearly identical in professional settings.

German high

Alle Hände voll zu tun haben

German emphasizes the volume of work more than the specific moment.

Japanese n/a

手が離せない

N/A

Arabic moderate

مشغول يداي (Mashghul yaday)

Less idiomatic than the Japanese version.

Easily Confused

手が離せない 对比 手が空く

Learners confuse 'busy' with 'free'.

Aku means 'to open/become free'.

常见问题 (1)

Yes, it is polite enough for professional settings.

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