手が足りない
てがたりない
short-handed
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Examples
店は手が足りない。
みせはてがたりない。
The shop is short-handed.
今日は忙しくて手が足りない。
きょうはいそがしくててがたりない。
We're so busy today that we don't have enough hands.
引っ越しで手が足りないなら、手伝うよ。
ひっこしでてがたりないなら、てつだうよ。
If you're short of hands for the move, I'll help.
Common patterns
- 人手が足りない
- to be short of workers
- 手が足りなくなる
- to run short of hands
- 猫の手も借りたい
- to be so busy one would take help from anyone
Memory tip
手 here means workers, not hands. 人手が足りない is the same idea and is the usual phrasing for a company-wide labour shortage; 手が足りない fits an immediate, on-the-spot pinch.
Kanji in this word
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What does 手が足りない mean?