Too much to handle
Idioms, Stage 2chunk 18 of 21Effort, ease & difficulty
Something beyond you: out of control, daunting, too heavy a responsibility, or an opponent you cannot match.
- te ni oenaimore than one can handle, out of controlliterally “can't bear it in one's hands”
- haadoru ga takaidaunting, too much to take onliterally “the hurdle is high”
- ni ga omoibe too big a responsibilityliterally “the load is heavy”
- ha ga tatanaibe no match for, can't crack itliterally “teeth won't sink in”
- tachiuchi dekinaican't compete with, can't stand up toliterally “can't trade long-sword blows”
Mix-ups ha ga tatanai and tachiuchi dekinai both mean 'no match for' (ha is also used for a problem you can't crack, tachiuchi for rivals); te ni oenai means out of control, and ni ga omoi means too much responsibility.
te ni oenai
polite te ni oemasen
“can't bear it in one's hands”
more than one can handle, out of control
In English: out of hand
Said of a kid, pet, person or problem beyond your control or skill: ano ko wa te ni oenai, watashi no te ni wa oenai. Only ever said in the negative (te ni ou is not used); not ha ga tatanai, which is being outmatched by a strong opponent or a hard problem.
Plain alternative: muri (mou muri).
uchi no inu, mou te ni oenai yo
Our dog is out of control now.
うちの犬、もう手に負えないよ
uchi no inu, mou te ni oenai n desu yo
Our dog is out of control now.
うちの犬、もう手に負えないんですよ
Written 手に負えない · てにおえないHeard 212× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside haadoru ga takai, ni ga omoi, ha ga tatanai, tachiuchi dekinaiMain list -eru / -rareru (Stage 2), -nai (Stage 1)
haadoru ga takai
polite haadoru ga takai desu
“the hurdle is high”
daunting, too much to take on
Very common modern way to say something feels too daunting to try, socially or in skill: hitori de yakiniku wa haadoru ga takai. Usually about yourself and often softened with chotto; the ga often drops.
Expectations: haadoru o ageru (raise the bar) / sageru (lower it).
hitori yakiniku wa chotto haadoru takai na
Yakiniku on my own? That's a bit daunting.
一人焼肉はちょっとハードル高いな
hitori yakiniku wa chotto haadoru ga takai desu ne
Yakiniku on my own? That's a bit daunting.
一人焼肉はちょっとハードルが高いですね
Written ハードルが高い · ハードルがたかいHeard 1× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside te ni oenai, ni ga omoi, ha ga tatanai, tachiuchi dekinaiMain list takai (Stage 3)
ni ga omoi
polite ni ga omoi desu
“the load is heavy”
be too big a responsibility
A modest way to say a role or job is too much for you, often when turning down a position like leader or speaker: watashi ni wa ni ga omoi. Not ki ga omoi, which is dreading something.
Relief when it's lifted: kata no ni ga oriru.
riidaa nante, ore ni wa ni ga omoi yo
Me, team leader? That's too much for me.
リーダーなんて、俺には荷が重いよ
riidaa nante, watashi ni wa ni ga omoi desu
Me, team leader? That's too much for me.
リーダーなんて、私には荷が重いです
Written 荷が重い · にがおもいHeard 32× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside te ni oenai, haadoru ga takai, ha ga tatanai, tachiuchi dekinai
ha ga tatanai
polite ha ga tachimasen
“teeth won't sink in”
be no match for, can't crack it
Said when an opponent or problem is too strong or too hard for you, usually with zenzen and in the past: ani ni wa zenzen ha ga tatanai, shiken, ha ga tatanakatta. Not te ni oenai, which is something out of your control.
Close: X ni wa kanawanai (can't beat X).
shiken, zenzen ha ga tatanakatta
The exam was way beyond me.
試験、全然歯が立たなかった
shiken, zenzen ha ga tachimasen deshita
The exam was way beyond me.
試験、全然歯が立ちませんでした
Written 歯が立たない · はがたたないHeard 32× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside te ni oenai, haadoru ga takai, ni ga omoi, tachiuchi dekinaiMain list -nai (Stage 1), zenzen (Stage 4)
tachiuchi dekinai
polite tachiuchi dekimasen
“can't trade long-sword blows”
can't compete with, can't stand up to
In English: be no match for
Said of a pro, a rival or a big competitor you can't hope to match, usually as X ni wa tachiuchi dekinai: puro ni wa tachiuchi dekinai, oote no yasusa ni wa tachiuchi dekinai (can't compete with the big chains' low prices). With the means it takes ja: ima no jitsuryoku ja tachiuchi dekinai (at my level I'm no match), and of a champion, dare mo tachiuchi dekinai. Close to ha ga tatanai, which also covers a test or problem too hard to crack; tachiuchi dekinai is about competing.
Plain alternative: kanawanai (puro ni wa kanawanai yo, can't beat a pro).
puro ni wa tachiuchi dekinai yo
There's no competing with a pro.
プロには太刀打ちできないよ
puro ni wa tachiuchi dekimasen yo
There's no competing with a pro.
プロには太刀打ちできませんよ
Written 太刀打ちできない · たちうちできないHeard 30× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside te ni oenai, haadoru ga takai, ni ga omoi, ha ga tatanaiMain list dekiru (Stage 1), -nai (Stage 1)