expression, ichidan verb
put one's palms together; pray; clasp hands
Used when pressing the palms together in prayer, before a meal, or when asking for something. Also used literally for placing hands together.
神社で手を合わせて願い事をした。
I put my hands together at the shrine and made a wish.
食事の前に手
Before meals, we put our hands together and say 'itadakimasu'.
expression, ichidan verb
compete against; play against; face off
Idiomatic use meaning to compete or play against someone, often in sports or games. The image is of two opponents facing each other with hands ready.
決勝で強豪チームと手を合わせることになった。
We ended up facing a strong team in the finals.
彼とは何度もテニスで手を合わせている。
I've played against him many times in tennis.