How to Read “手も足も出ない”
Te mo ashi mo denai
Meaning of “手も足も出ない”
“Hand also foot also cannot come out” is a proverb that expresses a state where one is completely unable to cope with a difficult situation or strong opponent using one’s own power.
This expression uses the body parts “hands” and “feet,” which are the most fundamental when humans take action, to express a completely powerless situation. Hands are a symbol of active actions such as grasping things or working, while feet are a symbol of supporting power such as movement or standing firm. The fact that both “cannot come out” means being in a truly desperate situation where one can neither attack nor defend, neither advance nor escape.
Usage scenarios include competitions against opponents with clearly superior abilities, complex problems where no solution can be found, and economically desperate situations. It is used to express situations that go beyond simply “being troubled” – completely hopeless states where even using all of one’s available power is insufficient to compete. Even in modern times, this fundamental meaning remains unchanged, and it continues to be cherished as an expression based on people’s real experiences.
Origin and Etymology
The origin of “Hand also foot also cannot come out” is thought to have emerged from expressions related to basic human bodily movements. Hands and feet are the most fundamental body parts when people do something. When trying to take something, we use our hands, and when heading somewhere, we use our feet.
This expression appeared in literature from the Edo period, and was initially often used in martial arts and combat situations. It expressed situations where the opponent was so strong that one could neither launch an attack nor move one’s feet to escape. In sword practice and sumo wrestling, when there was a clear difference in ability, people would say “hand also foot also cannot come out.”
Eventually, this expression came to be used not only for physical combat, but for all kinds of difficult situations. It came to refer to all situations beyond one’s power, such as business competitors, difficult academic problems, and complex interpersonal issues.
What’s interesting is that this expression takes the form “hand also foot also” rather than just “hands and feet.” By repeating the particle “mo” (also), it emphasizes a situation where not only hands but even feet – that is, all possible human actions – are blocked.
Usage Examples
- I continue to be in a state where hand also foot also cannot come out regarding this difficult math problem
- Due to lack of funds, hand also foot also cannot come out for new equipment investment
Modern Interpretation
In modern society, the expression “hand also foot also cannot come out” has come to be used in more diverse and complex situations. This is because the advancement of the information society has increased problems that cannot be solved with conventional physical strength or direct action alone.
For example, middle-aged and elderly people who cannot keep up with rapid advances in IT technology feel that “hand also foot also cannot come out” with the latest smartphones, or express that “hand also foot also cannot come out without specialized knowledge” regarding increasingly complex tax systems and laws. This expression is also often used when facing language barriers and cultural differences due to globalization.
On the other hand, in modern times, methods for dealing with “hand also foot also cannot come out” situations have also diversified. There are abundant means to supplement individual direct abilities, such as searching for information on the internet, consulting with experts online, or utilizing AI tools. Therefore, completely “hopeless” situations may be less common than in the past.
However, conversely, a new type of confusion has emerged where there are too many options and “hand also foot also cannot come out” in choosing which method to use. Precisely because we live in an age of information overload, the “feeling of complete powerlessness” expressed by this proverb continues to remain as a real experience for modern people, even while changing its form.
When AI Hears This
When Japanese people express despair, why do they say “te mo ashi mo denai” (neither hands nor feet can move)? In fact, this expression conceals a Japanese philosophy of action.
The most important part of the human body is the brain. However, Japanese people don’t say “the head can’t move either.” They also don’t express it as “the heart can’t move either” regarding the next most important organ, the heart. What was chosen was “hands and feet” – precisely the parts responsible for action.
This is no coincidence. Hands handle creative actions like “making, grasping, writing,” while feet handle movement and support actions like “walking, running, standing firm.” In other words, hands and feet are the most fundamental tools humans use to act upon the external world.
Interestingly, in the West, similar situations are often expressed as “the mind goes blank” or “being at a loss for words,” emphasizing the cessation of thought or language. However, Japanese people view the loss of “the power to actually do something” as the greatest despair, rather than the inability to think or speak.
This reflects the Japanese cultural characteristic of “trying things out first.” In Japan, which developed as an agricultural society, actually tilling fields and moving one’s hands was more directly connected to survival than theory. Even today, the strong tendency toward “let’s just try it for now” is a manifestation of this cultural DNA that values physical action.
Lessons for Today
The proverb “hand also foot also cannot come out” teaches us something important for living in modern times. That is the importance of having the courage to honestly acknowledge our limitations.
In modern society, there are strong beliefs that “you should be able to do everything yourself” and “if you try hard enough, you can always solve problems,” making us tend to feel ashamed of acknowledging situations where “hand also foot also cannot come out” when facing difficulties. However, this proverb teaches us that having such situations is natural.
What’s important is how to deal with situations where “hand also foot also cannot come out.” Rather than bearing everything alone, it’s crucial to ask for help from those around us, borrow the wisdom of experts, or sometimes stop and think of different approaches. In modern times, we can also connect with people who have experienced similar difficulties through online communities and social media.
Moreover, experiencing situations where “hand also foot also cannot come out” ourselves also cultivates empathy for people in trouble. When someone needs help, we become able to understand their feelings and extend a helping hand. Living while supporting each other, even if we’re not perfect. Perhaps that’s the warm message this proverb conveys to modern times.
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