ふんどしを締しめてかかる

Meanings

1

expression, godan verb (-ru)

roll up one's sleeves and get to work; buckle down

idiomatic expression

Idiomatic expression literally meaning 'tighten one's loincloth and go at it'; used when someone prepares mentally and physically to tackle a difficult task with determination.

試し験けんが近ちかいので、ふんどしを締しめてかからなければならない。
The exam is near, so I have to buckle down and get to work.

彼かれはふんどしを締しめてかかって、難むずかしいプロジェクトを成せい功こうさせた。

He rolled up his sleeves and tackled the difficult project, making it a success.

Written forms

ふんどしを締しめてかかる
Common kana-mixed spelling; the kanji 締める is standard for tightening a loincloth.
褌ふんどしを締しめてかかる
Full kanji spelling using 褌 for ふんどし; less common but still encountered.

Kanji

締tighten, tie, shut
褌loincloth

Similar words

気き合あいを入いれる
気合を入れる means to psych oneself up or focus one's energy, often used before a physical or mental challenge, while ふんどしを締めてかかる emphasizes the resolve to start working hard on a specific task.
本ほん腰ごしを入いれる
本腰を入れる means to get serious and put one's full effort into something, similar in spirit but without the vivid loincloth imagery; ふんどしを締めてかかる is more colorful and traditional.

Etymology

From the practice of tightening a traditional loincloth (ふんどし) before physical labor or a fight, symbolizing readiness and determination. The exact historical origin is uncertain, but the phrase is a well-established idiom.