Japanese word

手遅れ

Pronunciation

Romajiteokure

Meaning

  • nountoo late

Example

今からではもう手遅れです。ima ka ra de wa mō te oku re de su

It is already too late now.

Illustration for 手遅れ (too late)

More examples

必要な書類を今日中に送れば、まだ手遅れではありません。hitsu yō na sho rui o kon nichi chū ni oku re ba ma da te oku re de wa a ri ma se n

If you send the required documents today, it is not too late yet.

Core concept

Refers to a point when acting later means that the situation can no longer be put right.

Common phrases

  • 手遅れになるte oku re ni na ru

    become too late

  • もう手遅れmō te oku re

    already too late

  • 手遅れではないte oku re de wa na i

    not too late

Similar words

後の祭りatonomatsuri: A situation where an opportunity has been missed and later efforts cannot alter what has happened.

Definition in Japanese

対処や救済の手段を講じるのが遅すぎて、事態を元に戻せないこと。tai sho ya kyū sai no shu dan o kō ji ru no ga oso su gi te ji tai o moto ni modo se na i ko to

Word origin

手遅れ (teokure) joins 手 (te, "means or action") and 遅れ (okure, "being late"), showing that the means of dealing with a situation arrives after the proper time.

Usage tips

  • In English, too late can describe timing alone, whereas 手遅れ (teokure) usually focuses on the loss of a chance to prevent or repair a result.

Other meanings

  • beyond savingnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word