手てをこまねく

expression, godan verb (-ku)

fold one's arms

Literal physical action of crossing one's arms. This sense is less common than the idiomatic one.

• 彼かれは黙だまって手てをこまねいて立たっていた。

  He stood silently with his arms folded.

expression, godan verb (-ku)

stand idly by; look on without intervening

Idiomatic: to do nothing while a situation develops, often with a nuance of criticism or regret. Implies passivity or inaction when action is expected.

• 困こまっている人ひとを見みて、手てをこまねいているだけではいけない。

  You can't just stand idly by when you see someone in trouble.

• 政せい府ふは問もん題だいを認にん識しきしながらも手てをこまねいていた。

  The government recognized the problem but did nothing about it.

expression, godan verb (-ku)

lie in wait; be ready and waiting

Colloquial, rare usage: to wait in readiness, often with a predatory or opportunistic nuance. Not the primary meaning.

• 彼かれはチャンスを狙ねらって手てをこまねいていた。

  He was lying in wait for an opportunity.