expression, godan verb (-su)
do oneself; take action personally
Implies that the subject carries out an action directly, often with a sense of responsibility or finality. Can be used when someone decides to handle something themselves rather than delegating.
社長自ら手を下して問題を解決した。
The company president personally took action and resolved the problem.
彼はついに自分
He finally made up his mind to do it himself.
expression, godan verb (-su)
start work; commence; set about
Often used when beginning a task or project, similar to 手をつける. The cross-reference to 手をつける suggests a close relationship, but 手を下す can carry a nuance of more deliberate initiation.
See also: 手をつける
新しいプロジェクトに手を下す前に、しっかり計画を立てよう。
Let's make a solid plan before we start work on the new project.