noun
Refers to handmade crafts or artisan work, often emphasizing traditional or artistic skill.
彼女は手工芸の教室に通っている。
She attends a handicrafts class.
この村では手工芸が盛んだ。
Handicrafts are thriving in this village.
手芸 often refers to domestic handicrafts like knitting or sewing, whereas 手工芸 can include a wider range of artisan crafts.
Compound of 手 (hand) + 工芸 (crafts, industrial arts). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with hand-made crafts.