Meaning/significance of ほおに手をやる


The girls are discussing whether the temporary teacher will remember their
face, and then:

> 「名前はどうかな」  
>  「どうかなァ...」 (the ellipsis is as written in the book)  
>  たまちゃんがそうつぶやいてほおに手をやった。  
>  "How about my name?"  
>  "How about ..."  
>  muttered Tama, and _put_ her hand to her cheek.

This is not the first time I've seen ほおに手をやる and I'm not sure what to make of
it.

How should I translate やる?

What significance does this action have?

I get the impression that it might be an action you make while you are
thinking deeply. Is this a cultural thing or just a trait of this character?
Or something else entirely?




In this situation, maybe she looks like this:

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/6Hr6T.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/6Hr6T.jpg)  
(taken from [here](http://free-photos.gatag.net/2013/08/05/130000.html))

You're right that it's a gesture people take when they're reflecting on
something. We also call it in one word
[頬杖](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/jn/202951/meaning/m0u/).

> _How should I translate やる?_

[やる](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/jn/223431/meaning/m0u/%E3%82%84%E3%82%8B/)
has a sense "move something toward", thus: 目をやる "look at", 手をやる "put hand on",
人をやる "send out somebody to" etc.

But as やる has a great number of meanings, you can't expect it comes to this
meaning every time you see this collocation.




In this situation, maybe she looks like this:

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/6Hr6T.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/6Hr6T.jpg)  
(taken from [here](http://free-photos.gatag.net/2013/08/05/130000.html))

You're right that it's a gesture people take when they're reflecting on
something. We also call it in one word
[頬杖](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/jn/202951/meaning/m0u/).

> _How should I translate やる?_

[やる](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/jn/223431/meaning/m0u/%E3%82%84%E3%82%8B/)
has a sense "move something toward", thus: 目をやる "look at", 手をやる "put hand on",
人をやる "send out somebody to" etc.

But as やる has a great number of meanings, you can't expect it comes to this
meaning every time you see this collocation.

