手抜き・手抜|てぬきtenuki[3]odaka (tail-high)

1. noun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbomitting crucial steps; cutting corners; skimping
2. noun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbintentional negligence
3. noun, suru verb, intransitive verb, gotenuki; making a move which is not a direct counter to one's opponent's last move

• Related手落ちておちNeutralAn oversight or lapse at work — something that should have been done wasn't, not necessarily on purpose. 「手抜き」 is deliberate skimping on the work itself.
• Related怠りおこたりWrittenFormal written prose for negligence — failing to give the attention one should. Unlike 「手抜き」, it does not refer to cutting out concrete steps of a job.
• RelatedなおざりWrittenWritten/formal: treating something as a matter of no consequence, often as 「等閑視」. An attitude of disregard; 「手抜き」 is skimping on the work itself.
• Related怠慢たいまんWrittenWritten/formal: neglecting what one ought to do, mostly of duties, as in 「職務怠慢」. 「手抜き」 means the work is done but with the effort cut.
• Related不行き届きふゆきとどきNeutralCare or supervision falling short of thorough — often used in apologies, as in 「監督不行き届き」. Not necessarily deliberate, unlike 「手抜き」.
• Related手抜かりてぬかりNeutralAn oversight from inattention — a hole left by poor preparation, usually unintentional. 「手抜き」 is deliberately leaving out the effort.
• RelatedないがしろNeutralDisregard or disrespect for a person — or for rules, law, safety, as in 「安全を蔑ろにする」. Not taking something seriously; 「手抜き」 is about saving effort.
• Related放擲ほうてきWrittenWritten/formal: casting something aside and abandoning it, as in 「職務を放擲する」. Total giving up, whereas 「手抜き」 means doing the work but skimping on it.
• Related閑却かんきゃくWrittenWritten/formal: ignoring or leaving something unattended, as in 「閑却できない問題」. Withholding due importance, not omitting steps while doing a job.
• Related懈怠けたいWrittenWritten/formal: laziness, slackness; as 「かいたい」 it also covers failure to fulfill one's duties. Slack in action, not skimping while doing the work.
• Related投げやりなげやりNeutralA half-hearted, irresponsible attitude of not really trying, with a shade of giving up on oneself. 「手抜き」 is about leaving out steps that should be done.
• RelatedほったらかしCasualColloquial: leaving someone or something unattended, as in 「子供を放ったらかしにする」. Not dealing with it at all, while 「手抜き」 is doing it sloppily.
• RelatedゆるがせWrittenWritten/formal, typically as 「忽せにできない」: treating something carelessly or lightly. 「手抜き」 is the actual act of skimping on the work.
• Antonym丁寧ていねいNeutralThe antonym on the axis of care in doing things: careful, thorough, conscientious. It also means polite and courteous, a sense 「手抜き」 does not touch.

Use 「手抜き」 for deliberately cutting corners — leaving out effort that ought to go into the job, as in 「手抜き工事」 or 「手抜き料理」. For unintentional oversights say 「手落ち」 or 「手抜かり」; for neglect of duty, 「怠慢」; for disregard of a person or rule, 「蔑ろ」. The rest are mostly formal written words for neglect or abandonment. The opposite in care of work is 「丁寧」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 本来ほんらいすべき手間てまを省はぶくこと。手てを抜ぬくこと。
2. 手てが空あくこと。