noun
Medical term for a rigid support used to immobilize a broken bone or injured limb.
See also: 副木 (ふくぼく)
骨折した腕に添え木を当てた。
I put a splint on the broken arm.
noun
Used in gardening and horticulture for a stake or support that helps a plant grow upright.
See also: 支柱 (しちゅう)
トマトの苗に添え木を立てた。
I set up a support for the tomato seedling.
Compound of 添え (soe, 'adding, attaching') + 木 (ki, 'wood, tree'), literally 'attached wood'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word has been used for both medical splints and plant supports.