〜手前
With others watching 〜手前
Meaning
"Since ~ (and with people watching), I have no choice but to ..." — social face forces the action.
Formation
[noun の] / [plain form] + 手前
Notes
The reason is always the speaker's standing in someone else's eyes, so the main clause states an obligation they cannot escape. Distinct from 手前 meaning "just before" a place.
Examples
約束（やくそく）した手前（てまえ）、行（い）かないわけにはいきません。
Having promised, I can hardly not go.
Breakdown
皆（みな）に宣言（せんげん）した手前（てまえ）、頑張（がんば）るしかありません。
Having declared it to everyone, I have no choice but to try hard.
Breakdown
先生（せんせい）の手前（てまえ）、遅刻（ちこく）はできません。
With the teacher watching, I cannot be late.
Breakdown
引き受（ひきう）けた手前（てまえ）、最後（さいご）までやります。
Having taken it on, I will see it through.
Breakdown
後輩（こうはい）の手前（てまえ）、弱音（よわね）は吐（は）けません。
In front of my juniors, I cannot complain.
Breakdown
⚠️ Often confused with
〜から
Reason 〜から (because)
Gives a reason or cause — "because ~ / since ~". Subjective and conversational. Comes afte...
〜ので
Reason 〜ので (formal because)
A more formal / softer "because" than から. Used in polite speech, business, and writing....
〜以上（は）
Now that 〜以上は
"Now that ~", "since ~" — given this fact, a duty or resolve follows.
〜だけあって
As you would expect 〜だけあって
"As you would expect of ~", "no wonder, given that ~". Admiring.
〜ことから
Judging from 〜ことから
"From the fact that ~", "judging from ~" — states the evidence a conclusion rests on.
〜につき
Due to / per 〜につき
"Due to ~" in official notices; also "per ~" for rates.
〜ゆえ（に）
Owing to (literary) 〜ゆえ（に）
"Because of ~", "owing to ~" — a stiff, literary statement of cause.
〜とあって
Given the occasion 〜とあって
"Because it is (the special occasion of) ~" — a special situation produces a natural resul...
〜ばこそ
It is only because 〜ばこそ
"It is precisely because ~ (and nothing else)" — an emphatic, positive reason.
〜あっての
Made possible only by 〜あっての
"Which exists only thanks to ~", "~ is what makes it possible".
〜こととて
Seeing that (apologetic) 〜こととて
"Because it is ~ (please excuse it)" — a humble reason offered with an apology.
〜にかこつけて
Under the pretext of 〜にかこつけて
"Using ~ as an excuse", "under the pretext of ~".