What is the difference in usage between 準備, 用意 and 覚悟?


The dictionaries translate these three words roughly as
preparation/preparedness or ready/readiness.

I don't think I understand the subtleties of their usage. Not to mention できる
also has another meaning, "to be ready", as in 「ご飯できてるよ！」to mean that "The
meal is ready."

Please enlighten me. Also, are there any other words commonly used to mean
prepare/ready?




  * Between `準備` and `用意`, they're both used for preparing in advance, but `用意` puts emphasis on preparing things in advance so they can be used when the time comes, so is used more when e.g. baking a cake in advance, and `準備` is used in a more general way, like preparations for an athletics carnival or something.

`準備` is also used in the expression `心の準備はできている`, which is used for mental
preparedness in a similar way that `覚悟ができている` is.

  * `覚悟` is used when bracing oneself for something which is going to be unpleasant, or preparing for something that will be dangerous/difficult etc.

  * `支度` is particularly used in reference to meals e.g. preparing dinner (`夕飯の支度をする`), and preparing for the execution of something that's planned/done as a matter of course e.g. preparing for a trip (`旅行の支度をする`) or preparing for school (`学校へ行く支度をする`).

I believe `夕飯の用意をする` is also used, so I think there's a bit of overlap.

  * `備える` is used for preparing for a disaster etc, or for preparing furniture or electrical appliances and whatnot so they can be used whenever they need to be.

  * `できている` can often mean something is in a prepared state ("ready", "completed" or "done" etc), and `Xでできている` means that something is made of `X`.

