马

• Pinyin: mǎ
• Hanzi breakdown: 马 = simplified from 馬, a pictograph of a horse seen from the side with its mane and legs

Meaning

Horse. A large domesticated animal used historically for riding, transport, and warfare.

One of the most important animals in Chinese culture and language. Appears in many common compounds: 马上 (immediately, literally on horseback), 马路 (road), 马虎 (careless), 马马虎虎 (so-so). The horse is one of the twelve Chinese zodiac animals. 马 is also a very common Chinese surname.

Examples

1. 草原上有一群马在跑。 A herd of horses is running on the grassland.
2. 他小时候特别喜欢骑马。 He especially loved horse riding when he was little.
3. 马是人类最早的交通工具之一。 The horse was one of humanity's earliest means of transport.

Usage Guide

Context: animals, culture, idioms

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你骑过马吗？(Have you ever ridden a horse?)
• 马年出生的人据说很有活力。(People born in the Year of the Horse are said to be very energetic.)

Don't Say

• 我的马上班去了。(Be careful with 马上 — it means immediately, not on a horse. Don't confuse the compound 马上 with the literal meaning of 马 + 上.)

Origin & History

A pictograph of a horse seen from the side, showing its mane, body, and four legs. One of the earliest characters found in oracle bone inscriptions, dating back over 3,000 years.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal