VOCABULARY
手を焼く
te
て
wo
を
ya
や
ku
く
to have a hard time with / to be at a loss
have a lot of trouble with, be at a loss with, be at one's wit's end with, be perplexed by, have one's hands full with
idiom
phrase
verb
Example sentences
親はわんぱくな息子に手を焼いている。
The parents have their hands full with their naughty son.
先生は問題児に手を焼いた。
The teacher had a hard time with the troublemaker.
古い機械の修理に手を焼く。
I have a lot of trouble repairing the old machine.
頑固な客の対応に手を焼いた。
I was at my wit's end dealing with the stubborn customer.
Practice exercises
1
弟のわがままに毎日手を焼く。
I have a hard time with my brother's selfishness every day.
Answer
手を焼く手を焼きます
2
子供が宿題をしなくて、親が手を焼いている。
The parents are having a hard time because their child won't do homework.
Answer
手を焼いている手を焼いています
3
新入社員の指導に苦戦し、部長はすっかり手を焼いていた。
Struggling to train the new employee, the manager was thoroughly at his wit's end.
Answer
手を焼いていた手を焼いていました
4
この問題は複雑で、専門家でも手を焼く事態に陥っている。
This problem is complex, and even experts have fallen into a situation where they have trouble with it.
Answer
手を焼く手を焼きます
5
長年の紛争は、国連の調停団すら手を焼くほど根深い。
The long-standing conflict is so deep-rooted that even the UN mediation team has trouble with it.
Answer
手を焼く手を焼きます