synonym Comparative
困る
VS
手を焼く
Differences Between "困る" and "手を焼く"
Option A
困る
Meaning
to be troubled, to be in difficulty
Reading
こまる (komaru)
Syllabus Level
N4
Practical Example
お金がなくて困っています。
I'm having trouble because I don't have money.
Option B
手を焼く
Meaning
to be at a loss with; to be troubled with; to have a difficult time with (idiom)
Reading
てをやく (te o yaku)
Syllabus Level
N2
Practical Example
彼のわがままな行動にはいつも手を焼いている。
I'm always at a loss with his selfish behavior.
Which one to use?
Select the correct Japanese word for this context
Which word fits this context: "(to be troubled, to be in difficulty)"?
🎉 正解 / Correct!
使い分け解説:
- 困る: Intransitive verb. Used to express being in a difficult, embarrassing, or problematic situation. Often used when one doesn't know what to do.
- 手を焼く: An idiom meaning to have trouble with someone or something, to be at a loss, or to be vexed by a situation or person. It often implies that the person causing the trouble is difficult to control or manage. 「扱いに困る、苦労する」という慣用表現。
- 困る: Intransitive verb. Used to express being in a difficult, embarrassing, or problematic situation. Often used when one doesn't know what to do.
- 手を焼く: An idiom meaning to have trouble with someone or something, to be at a loss, or to be vexed by a situation or person. It often implies that the person causing the trouble is difficult to control or manage. 「扱いに困る、苦労する」という慣用表現。
Want to boost your Japanese vocabulary?
Project Eagle automatically tracks and targets your weak words using AI. Practice thousands of operational exams completely for free!