How to distinguish between 扱い and 取り扱い

Japanese
#1

Hi everyone,

I have both 扱い and 取り扱い in my vocabulary review pile, but when reviewing these items, I can’t tell which one Bunpro is looking for. The meanings are seemingly the same, or am I overlooking something?

As an example, in my reviews just now, the following two sentences popped up:

僕は両親から酷い扱いを受けた。なので、今は絶縁している。
I was terribly treated by my parents. Therefore, I am now estranged from them.

上司からの不当な取り扱いを会社に報告する。
Report unfair treatment from the boss to the company.

As far as I can tell, the English word “treatment” has the same meaning in both sentences, but Bunpro only accepts 扱い for one sentence and 取り扱い in the other. Is there a way to tell them apart?

#2

Came across this difference explanation by a native on the hinative website

回答してみます
●扱い
→操作するもの、処理するもの全般に使えます

●取り扱い
→取って扱うといったイメージなので、実際に手に取ったり、移動させたりする物に使いますが、分け方が曖昧なので、扱いに置き換えられる場合も多いです。

例
○データの扱いに注意して下さい
○データの取り扱いに注意して下さい
→置き換え可

○取り扱い説明書
✕扱い説明書
→置き換え不可

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#3

They’re close in meaning and I think they can be interchangable in some cases, but 扱い is more general whereas 取り扱い is more “official”, if that makes sense. The first sentence feels casual so 扱い fits better, the second is stiff so 取り扱い is more apt.

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#4

Hi!

This is what KD has to say about the difference between these two words:

取り扱いとりあつかい management ★☆☆☆☆
取 (take) + 扱 (treatment) = 取り扱い (management)

Treatment - but unlike 扱う, 取り扱う is ONLY used for objects or cases. i.e. The police are handling the racial hate-crime very carefully.

HTH!

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#5

Hi @BreadmanNin! As mentioned in the responses above, 扱い and 取り扱い are different but similar and can often be interchangeable. It seems good to think 取り扱い is a bit more official or formal. We’ve added alternate hints that appear when you enter the not intended answer in the review for both 扱い and 取り扱い. We hope this helps!

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#6

@SoreWaMaichiru @Aunel @Pablunpro @Chihiro

You guys are all fantastic. Giving all this prompt and helpful advice, and even adjusting the website itself. Thank you all very much.

I just did another set of reviews in which these words popped up, and I got them both correct on the first try thanks to the advice in this thread.

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