竜馬

Japanese

FWOTD – 27 July 2018

Etymology 1

竜馬 (ryūme, ryūma): A shogi piece representing a promoted bishop.

Kanji in this term
竜	馬
りゅう Grade: S	め Grade: 2
on'yomi

Alternative spelling
龍馬 (kyūjitai)

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle Chinese 龍馬／龙马 (ljowng mæ^X, literally “dragon + horse”). The goon reading, so likely the initial borrowing.

Noun

1. (idiomatic) an excellent horse, a very fast horse
2. (shogi) a promoted bishop

Usage notes

• When written on shogi pieces, kyūjitai 龍馬 is preferred.

Synonyms

Synonyms

• (horse): 駿馬 (shunme, shunba), 良馬 (ryōba)
• (shogi): 成り角 (narikaku), 成った角 (natta kaku), 馬 (uma)

See also

Shogi pieces (将棋の駒)
Unpromoted (生駒)	name	王将 玉将	金将	銀将	桂馬	香車	飛車	角行	歩兵
	abbr.	王 玉	金	銀	桂	香	飛	角	歩
Promoted (成駒)	name	-	-	成銀	成桂	成香	竜王	竜馬	と金, 成歩
	abbr.	-	-	全*	圭*	杏*	竜	馬	と, 止
*These 3 abbreviations are only used as a typographical convention. They are pronounced the same as their full names.

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
竜	馬
りゅう Grade: S	ま Grade: 2
on'yomi

Alternative spelling
龍馬 (kyūjitai)

Alteration of ryūme above, using the kan'yōon reading of ma for the 馬 character.

Noun

1. (shogi) a promoted bishop

Usage notes

The ryūma reading is common, but might be considered by some to be less technically correct than the ryūme reading.

Synonyms

Synonyms

• 成り角 (narikaku)
• 成った角 (natta kaku)
• 馬 (uma)

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
竜	馬
りょう Grade: S	ば Grade: 2
on'yomi

Alternative spelling
龍馬 (kyūjitai)

Shift in pronunciation ryūme above. The kan'on for both characters, so probably a re-borrowing from a later stage of (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle Chinese.

Noun

1. (idiomatic) an excellent horse, a very fast horse

Usage notes

This is a homophone with the synonymous spelling 良馬 (ryōba, literally “good horse”).

Synonyms

Synonyms

• 駿馬 (shunme, shunba)
• 良馬 (ryōba)

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
竜	馬
りょう Grade: S	め Grade: 2
on'yomi

Alternative spelling
龍馬 (kyūjitai)

Alteration of ryūme above, using the kan'on reading of ryō for the 竜 character.

Noun

1. (idiomatic) an excellent horse, a very fast horse

Synonyms

Synonyms

• 駿馬 (shunme, shunba)
• 良馬 (ryōba)

Etymology 5

Kanji in this term
竜	馬
りょう Grade: S	ま Grade: 2
on'yomi

Alternative spelling
龍馬 (kyūjitai)

Probably an alteration of ryōba above, using the kan'yōon reading of ma for the 馬 character.

Proper noun

1. a surname

Etymology 6

Kanji in this term
竜	馬
たつ Grade: S	うま Grade: 2
kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
龍馬 (kyūjitai)

Compound of 竜 (tatsu, “dragon”) +‎ の (no, possessive particle) +‎ 馬 (uma, “horse”). The no is implied in this spelling.

Alternative forms

• 竜の馬

Noun

1. (idiomatic) an excellent horse, a very fast horse
   • c. 759, Man’yōshū, book 5, poem 808:
     , text here

     多都乃麻乎 阿礼波毛等米牟

     たつのまを あれはもとめむ

     Tatsu no ma o / are wa motomemu

     “I would want a dragon horse...”

     (Note that the ancient form of uma was sometimes rendered as ma or muma. See the etymology at 馬 for more details.)

Synonyms

Synonyms

• 駿馬 (shunme, shunba)
• 良馬 (ryōba)