手て懐なずける

て

な

ず

け

る

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

ichidan verb, transitive verb

tame; domesticate

Used for making a wild animal accustomed to humans and obedient. Implies patient, gentle handling.

彼かれは野の良ら猫ねこを手て懐なずけるのに数すう週しゅう間かんかかった。
It took him several weeks to tame the stray cat.

2

ichidan verb, transitive verb

win over; bring under one's control

Figurative extension: to gain the trust or compliance of a person, often through charm, persuasion, or persistent effort.

新しん入にゅう社しゃ員いんを手て懐なずけて、自じ分ぶんの味み方かたにした。
He won over the new employee and made him an ally.

Written forms

手懐けるUsage15%
- てなずける
  Standard kanji spelling. The reading てなづける is also valid for this form.
- てなづける
手てなずけるUsage82%
Common kana-mixed spelling, often used when the kanji 懐 is considered difficult.
てなずけるUsage3%
てなづける

Kanji

手hand
懐feelings, heart, yearn

Similar words

飼かいならす
飼いならす focuses on domesticating an animal through feeding and care, while 手懐ける emphasizes taming through direct handling and building trust.
懐かい柔じゅうする
懐柔する is a more formal term for winning someone over, often used in political or organizational contexts, whereas 手懐ける is more personal and hands-on.

Etymology

Compound of 手 (hand) and 懐ける (to become attached to, to be tamed). The literal sense is 'to make accustomed to one's hand', i.e., to tame by handling.