Tegusune wo Hiku (手ぐすねを引く - Stand Ready)

Tegusune wo Hiku

To stand fully ready to do something is called 'tegusune wo hiku' in Japanese.

Since 'te' (手) means "hand," 'kusune/gusune' (くすね/薬煉) means "pine resin boiled with oil," and 'hiku' (引く) means "to put something on," the literal meaning of this idiom is "to put 'kusune' (pine resin boiled with oil) on one's hands."

'Kusune' has strong adhesive power; in the past, it was applied to a bowstring for reinforcing purposes.

The action was in preparation for battle, which is how 'tegusune wo hiku' came to have its current meaning.

手ぐすねを引く

十分に準備して何かを待ち構えることを、「手ぐすねを引く」と言います。

「手」は "hand"、「くすね/ぐすね（薬煉）」は松脂を油で煮て練ったもの、「引く」は "to put something on" を意味するので、「手ぐすねを引く」の文字通りの意味は "to put 'kusune' (pine resin boiled with oil) on one's hands" （くすねを手に塗る）となります。

「くすね」は粘着力が強く、かつて弓の弦に塗って補強するために使われていました。

戦いの準備をするために使われたものであることから、「手ぐすねを引く」は現在の意味を持つようになったというわけです。

• To stand fully ready to do something is called 'tegusune wo hiku' in Japanese.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• Since 'te' (手) means "hand," 'kusune/gusune' (くすね/薬煉) means "pine resin boiled with oil," and 'hiku' (引く) means "to put something on," the literal meaning of this idiom is "to put 'kusune' (pine resin boiled with oil) on one's hands."
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• 'Kusune' has strong adhesive power; in the past, it was applied to a bowstring for reinforcing purposes.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• The action was in preparation for battle, which is how 'tegusune wo hiku' came to have its current meaning.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

Very interesting!