noun
archer's bracer; armguard
A protective guard worn on the left forearm in traditional Japanese archery (kyūdō) to prevent the bowstring from hitting the arm. Rare term; more commonly referred to as 弓懸 (ゆがけ) or simply 籠手 (こて) in modern contexts.
弓道では、ゆごてを左腕に装着して弦の衝撃から守る。
In kyūdō, one wears a yugote on the left arm to protect it from the bowstring's impact.
古い文献に「弓籠手」という表記が見られるが、現代で
The notation 弓籠手 appears in old documents, but it is hardly used today.
籠手 is a general term for an armguard or gauntlet, often used in historical armor contexts; 弓籠手 specifies its use in archery.
Compound of 弓 (yumi, 'bow') and 籠手 (kote, 'gauntlet, armguard'), with rendaku voicing of kote to gote. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term directly describes its function as a bow-arm guard.