The Meaning of teate [手当て] In Japanese

手当て
てあて
Romaji: teate N4

What does 手当て mean?

Translation and Meaning

care, treatment, allowance, compensation, first aid

Definition

手当て means care or treatment, including first aid, and also refers to a monetary allowance or benefit granted by an organization. In medical contexts it names the act of attending to a wound or patient; in workplace contexts it names a type of monetary provision added to salary.

Type

noun (名詞), can form a suru-verb as 手当てをする

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Care or medical treatment, including first aid, for a person or wound.
  • A monetary allowance or benefit added to salary, such as housing or commuting allowance.
  • The act of attending to tasks or affairs; attention given to duties.

Etymology

手 (hand) + 当 (to apply, to meet, to be due) combine to form teate, the native kun-reading used to name care, treatment, or allowances; earlier usage described applying or placing by hand, later extending to medical and financial senses.

Composition

  • 手 — hand
  • 当 — to apply, to be due, to address

Usage

Used in both formal and casual contexts. In salary terms it appears in compounds such as housing 手当 or commuting 手当; in medical or caregiving contexts it refers to providing care, treatment, or first aid, and the phrase 手当てをする describes attending to someone or something, including tending to a wound or a patient.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: connect hand and apply — imagine hand-delivering care or a paycheck; the act of applying care or funds by hand helps recall both primary senses.

Variations

  • 住宅手当 — housing allowance — juutaku-teate
  • 通勤手当 — commuting allowance — tsuukin-teate
  • 補助 — subsidy or aid — hojo

Example Phrases

  • 私は 風邪をひいた 友だちに 手当てをして 見守った。
    Watashi wa kaze o hiita tomodachi ni teate o shite mimamotta.
    I took care of a friend who had a cold and watched over him.
    Lista:
    • 私は (Watashi wa) – I
    • 風邪をひいた (kaze o hiita) – caught a cold
    • 友だちに (tomodachi ni) – to a friend
    • 手当てをして (teate o shite) – took care of
    • 見守った (mimamotta) – watched over
    Here, 「手当て」 means care or treatment given to someone; 手当てをして is the te-form, linking the act of providing care to the next action.
手当て