Tough or formidable; difficult to deal with or defeat; requiring effort or skill.
彼は手ごわい相手なので、準備を万全にしよう。
He's a formidable opponent, so let's prepare thoroughly.
このパズルは手ごわくて一日では解けなかった。
This puzzle was tough; I couldn't solve it in one day.
手ごわいライバルが次の大会に出場するらしい。
It seems a formidable rival will participate in the next tournament.
手ごわい問題だが、一つずつ対処していこう。
It's a tough problem, but let's deal with it step by step.