<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='849'>私（わたし）</span><span class='chui'>の</span><strong>手前（てまえ）</strong>の<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='300'>人（ひと）</span>が、<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='849'>私（わたし）</span>の<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='416'>友達（ともだち）</span>です。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='616'>改札（かいさつ）</span><span class='chui'>の</span><strong>手前（てまえ）</strong>で<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='126'>スイカ</span>を忘（わす）れてきたことに気（き）づいて良（よ）かった。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='89'>こちら</span>に過失（かしつ）があった<strong>手前（てまえ）</strong>、<span class='gp-popout vocab-popout' data-gp-id='24' data-vocab-id='561'>強（つよ）い</span>ことは言（い）えません。

空（から）っぽになる<strong>手前（てまえ）</strong>でガソリンを<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='362'>入（い）れる</span>ことができた。

オルガンを<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='236'>もっと</span><strong>手前（てまえ）</strong>に配置（はいち）してください。

火山（かざん）の被害（ひがい）がうち<span class='chui'>の</span><strong>手前（てまえ）</strong><span class='gp-popout vocab-popout' data-gp-id='360' data-vocab-id='992'>まで</span>及（およ）んだ。

<strong>手前（てまえ）</strong>の看板（かんばん）を撤去（てっきょ）してください。

境界（きょうかい）線（せん）<span class='chui'>の</span><strong>手前（てまえ）</strong>で待（ま）っていてください。

<strong>手前（てまえ）</strong>で警備（けいび）している<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='564'>彼（かれ）</span>を交代（こうたい）させてください。

<span class='gp-popout vocab-popout' data-gp-id='5' data-vocab-id='95'>これ</span><span class='gp-popout vocab-popout' data-gp-id='360' data-vocab-id='992'>まで</span>よりも<strong>手前（てまえ）</strong>で<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='667'>曲（ま）が<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='26'>る</span></span>カーブを投（な）げられるようになった。

君（きみ）<span class='chui'>の</span><strong>手前（てまえ）</strong>に<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='676'>ある</span>ものを見（み）てください。

死（し）んでしまう一歩（いっぽ）<strong>手前（てまえ）</strong>で助（たす）かった。

<div class='writeup-body'>The <span class='info-highlight' data-term='名詞・めいし'>noun</span> <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='410'>手前（てまえ）</span> 'in front of' has several different meanings in Japanese depending on whether it is being used with a verb in its <span class='info-highlight' data-term='普通形・ふつうけい'>standard form</span>, or with a noun.<br>Regarding verbs, it expresses 'going forward from (A), (B)'. This is usually in relation to something that has happened either accidentally or completely, and may represent what will be done as a result of being in that situation.<ul class='writeup-examples--holder'><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>崖（がけ）から落（お）ちる<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='410'>手前（てまえ）</span>で父親（ちちおや）に腕（うで）を引（ひ）っ張（ぱ）られた。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>My father pulled me by my arm before I fell off the cliff.</div></li><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>勢（いきお）いで手（て）を上（あ）げてしまった<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='410'>手前（てまえ）</span>、答（こた）えずに手（て）を下（さ）げるわけにはいかない。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>From the standpoint of me raising my hand in the heat of the moment, there is no way of me backing out without answering the question.</div></li><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>先輩（せんぱい）にはいつもお世話（せわ）になっている<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='410'>手前（てまえ）</span>、彼女（かのじょ）の頼（たの）みを断（ことわ）るわけにはいかない。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>Since my senpai always takes good care of me, there is no way that I can turn down her request.</div></li></ul>This can also be interpreted as 'now that (A), (B)', and simply highlights that nothing can be done except to move on or 'forward' given the current circumstances.<br>When 手前（てまえ） appears with nouns followed by the <span class='info-highlight' data-term='格助詞・かくじょし'>case marking particle</span>の, it often expresses that what is 'in front' of (A) is the reason for (B), or simply is 'in front of (B)'.<ul class='writeup-examples--holder'><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>娘（むすめ）の<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='410'>手前（てまえ）</span>、運動（うんどう）音痴（おんち）な姿（すがた）を見（み）せるわけにはいかない。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>I can't show my unathletic self in front of my daughter.</div></li><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>彼女（かのじょ）の両親（りょうしん）の<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='410'>手前（てまえ）</span>、発言（はつげん）には気（き）を付（つ）けなければいけない。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>I have to be careful of what I say when I am in front of my girlfriend's parents.</div></li></ul>Despite the many translations, <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='410'>手前（てまえ）</span> always shows something that is 'facing' the noun or verb that appears with it. Due to this, thinking of this structure as similar to 'faced with (A), (B)' may be helpful, as English also expresses lack of option and finality in this way.</div>

Grammar Info

手前(てまえ)

before, in front of, from one's standpoint/side