仕掛ける

しかける · shikakeru · JLPT N1 · verb-ichidan

to wage

🪤 仕 (do, serve) + 掛ける (hang on, apply) = do and hang on: set a trap or start a fight

Set a trap or start a war: the sense is putting something into place and making it active. 仕 means serve or do, and 掛ける means hang or apply, so the whole word is to do and hang on.

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