Meaning

Primary

Hand Wipe

Alternatives

Wet Hand Towel, Wet Napkin

Word Type

noun

Explanation

You have hand and the noun version of 拭く (to wipe). Put the two together and you get a hand wipe!

お手拭き refers to a wet hand towel or wet napkin used for cleaning your hands, often provided at restaurants in Japan before a meal.

Reading

おてふき
  • Miyuki
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

The reading for this uses all kun'yomi. So just put together the kun'yomis of and 拭き (from the verb 拭く) with an honorary and you're good to go!

Context

Common Word Combinations

  • お手拭きで拭く

    to wipe with a hand wipe

Context Sentences

すいません、お手拭きをもらえますか?

Excuse me, could I get a hand wipe, please?

あ、よかったらこのお手拭き使って!

Oh, feel free to use this hand wipe!

レストランで席につくと、まずお手拭きで手を拭きます。

When I sit down at a restaurant, I first wipe my hands with a hand wipe.

Kanji Composition