The Meaning of tenohira [掌] In Japanese

掌
てのひら
Romaji: tenohira N5

What does 掌 mean?

Translation and Meaning

palm of the hand, grasp

Definition

掌 means the palm of the hand, the inner surface used for grasping; in broader use, it appears in compounds that express grasp, control, or influence, such as 掌握.

Type

noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Anatomical meaning: palm of the hand
  • Figurative meaning: grasp or control (as in 掌握)
  • Literary or technical usage where 掌 denotes the palm itself in older or formal texts

Etymology

On-reading しょう (shō); Kun-reading tenohira (tenohira). The kanji blends 扌 (hand) with 尚 as a phonetic, illustrating the hand-related semantic field.

Composition

  • 扌 hand radical indicates relation to the hand
  • 尚 phonetic component contributing to pronunciation and nuance

Usage

掌 is used primarily in formal, technical, or literary contexts; everyday speech prefers 手のひら. It appears in compounds like 掌握 to express grasp, control, or influence in fields such as business, politics, or science.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: the left hand radical (扌) grips the right half of the character, reminding you that the palm is the part of the hand used to grasp things.

Variations

  • 手のひら (tenohira) — palm of the hand
  • 掌握 (しょうあく, shōaku) — grasp, control

Example Phrases

  • 彼は 掌を返して 私の 信頼を 完全に 失わせた
    Kare wa shou o kaeshite watashi no shinrai o kanzen ni ushinawaseta.
    He flipped his stance and completely destroyed my trust.
    Lista:
    • 彼は (kare wa) – he
    • 掌を返して (shou o kaeshite) – turning the palm
    • 私の (watashi no) – my
    • 信頼を (shinrai o) – trust
    • 完全に (kanzen ni) – completely
    • 失わせた (ushinawaseta) – caused to lose
    This sentence uses the idiom 「掌を返す」 meaning to suddenly flip one’s stance.
  • 電車の車掌に道を丁寧に尋ねた。
    Densha no shashou ni michi o teinei ni tazuneta.
    I politely asked the train conductor for directions.
    Lista:
    • 電車の (densha no) – train’s
    • 車掌に (shashou ni) – to the conductor
    • 道を (michi o) – directions
    • 丁寧に (teinei ni) – politely
    • 尋ねた (tazuneta) – asked
    Use o に para marcar o destinatário da ação; aqui 「車掌」 é a pessoa a quem você pergunta.
掌