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Grammar detail: 手前

てまえ
since ~; when considering ~; out of decency
216 words
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verb plain form
or
noun + の
+
てまえ
手前
means
since; out of decency; when considering
The word 手前 most frequently means 'in front of' or 'before', and like these English definitions is used when describing the physical location of things, or in time clauses to explain when one thing occurs in comparison to another.
However, 手前 can also have a more subtle usage to convey that the speaker is making a decision about Y, based on X. In this usage:
  • There is usually a relating factor between X and the speaker that causes the speaker to self-reflect and consider their standing (how they may appear) because of their connection with the situation in X.
  • It is 'when considering X' or 'out of decency (relating to X)' that leads to Y.
  • In many cases the decision that leads to Y has to do with saving face; keeping up appearances, etc.
しょくじかい
食事会
に
さんか
参加
する
と
い
言
った
てまえ
手前
、
さんか
参加
せざるを
え
得
ません
。
Since I said I would join the dinner party, I have to go.
あした
明日
でんわ
電話
する
と
やくそく
約束
した
てまえ
手前
、しないわけにはいかない。
Now that I've promised to call her tomorrow, I can't very well not call.
じぶん
自分
の
ちょっかん
直感
が、いかに
たし
確
かな
ものか
じまん
自慢
した
てまえ
手前
、
あ
当
て
がはずれた
とき
時
は
くび
首
をやらなければならなくなった。
Having boasted how sure his hunches were, he was forced to eat his hat when he guessed wrong.
noun + の手前 will in most cases translate to 'in front of (noun)'. However, in these next example sentences it is used from the standpoint of the speaker to convey carrying out an action 'in front of (someone)', and there is usually an associated judgement on the appropriateness of this in relation to Y.
こどもたち
子供達
の
てまえ
手前
、
しっぱい
失敗
する
わけにはいかない。
I can't mess up in front of the children.
せいと
生徒
の
てまえ
手前
、ミスするわけにはいかない。
I can't very well make a mistake in front of my students.
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Kanji used in this grammar

手
シュ   hand   て    た-    
前
ゼン   まえ before   
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食
ショク   ジキ    food   たべる to eat   くう to eat   
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事
ジ   ズ   こと thing; matter   
会
カイ   エ   あう to meet   
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参
サン   まいる to visit, go, come   
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加
カ   くわえる to add to   くわわる to join, to be added to   
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言
ゲン   ゴン   say; word   こと word, saying   いう to say   
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得
トク    profit   える    うる to acquire   
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明
メイ   ミョウ   あかり light   あかるい bright   あかるむ to brighten   あからむ to become luminous (at dawn)   あきらか obvious   あかす to lay bare   あく to open   あける to empty   
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日
ニチ   ジツ   sun; day   ひ    -か    
電
デン    electricity   
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話
ワ   はなす to talk   はなし talking   
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約
ヤク    promise; approximate   
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束
ソク   たば bundle   たばねる to tie in a bundle   
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自
ジ   シ   みずから self   
分
ブン   ブ   フン   わける to divide, to distinguish   わかる to understand   わかれる to be divided   わかつ to share, distribute   
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直
チョク   ジキ    honest; direct   なおす to correct   なおる to be cured   ただちに immediately   
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感
カン    feelings   
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確
カク   たしか certain   たしかめる to make certain   
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慢
マン    ridicule   
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当
トウ   あてる    あたる to hit   
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時
ジ   とき time, occasion   
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首
シュ   くび neck; head   
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子
シ   ス   こ child   
供
キョウ   ク   そなえる to make an offering   とも servant, attendant   
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達
タツ    arrive   
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失
シツ   うしなう to lose   
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敗
ハイ   defeated   やぶれる to be defeated, frustrated   
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生
セイ   ショウ    life   なま raw   いかす to enliven   いきる to live   いける to arrange flowers   うまれる to be born   うむ to give birth to   き pure, undiluted   おう to grow, to sprout   はえる to grow, to sprout   はやす to grow, cultivate   
徒
ト    junior   
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