be in someone else's hands; come into someone else's possession
いつの間にかその土地は人手に渡ってしまった。
Before we knew it, that land had passed into someone else's hands.
書類が人手に渡らないように注意しておいてください。
Please be careful that the documents do not end up in someone else's hands.
高価な美術品が人手に渡ると、行方を追うのは難しい。
Once an expensive artwork gets into someone else's hands, it's hard to track where it goes.
a worker; an assistant; a person who does manual or on-site work
引っ越しは人手を頼まないと大変だ。
Moving is tough unless you hire some helpers.
現場には熟練した人手が必要だ。
Skilled hands are needed at the site.
年末は人手が足りなくて残業が続いた。
At the end of the year we were short-staffed and kept working overtime.
labor; manpower; workforce (e.g., used in phrases like 'shortage of workers')
地方では深刻な人手不足が続いている。
Rural areas continue to face a serious labor shortage.
店を開けても人手がなければ営業できない。
Even if the store is open, without staff it can't operate.
年末年始は人手を確保するのが難しい。
It's difficult to secure manpower around the New Year holidays.
help; assistance; aid provided by people
イベント当日はボランティアの人手が何より必要だ。
On the day of the event, volunteers are needed more than anything.
料理を作るのを手伝ってくれる人手があれば助かる。
It would help if there were people to help with the cooking.
急な来客で人手が足りず、対応に追われた。
Sudden visitors left us short-handed and we were rushed off our feet.
an action done by human hands; a human act or manual work (as opposed to machine work)
この器は人手で丁寧に仕上げられている。
This vessel has been carefully finished by hand.
最近は自動化が進み、人手でやる作業が減っている。
Automation has progressed recently, and tasks done by hand are decreasing.
修理は人手でしか直せない部分が多い。
There are many parts of the repair that can only be fixed by hand.