马 (mǎ): horse

Measure Word

一匹马 pǐ

Meanings

1 horse

Characters

马

mǎ

horse

Simplified from the pictograph 馬 showing a horse with mane and legs. Also a common surname.

Examples

HSK 1

马上就来！

Mǎshàng jiù lái!

Coming right away!

HSK 2

他会骑马。

Tā huì qímǎ.

He can ride a horse.

HSK 5

这匹马跑得很快。

Zhè pǐ mǎ pǎo de hěnkuài.

This horse runs very fast.

Tips

usage

马上 (mǎshàng) literally 'on horseback' means 'immediately/right away' - one of the most common Chinese expressions.

culture

马 is one of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals. It symbolizes speed, freedom, and success. 马到成功 (mǎ dào chénggōng) = achieve immediate success.

Components

pictograph

马 mǎ

horse

Self-component, simplified from traditional 馬 in the 1956 reform. The full pictograph showed mane-back-body-legs in side view; the modern three strokes preserve only the silhouette - top horizontal-and-hook for mane and arching back, sweeping bottom horizontal for the four legs. Still legible as a galloping animal and serves as Kangxi radical #187 for the equine family (驰, 骑, 驾, 驴).

Radical

Horse Kangxi #187

Highly productive radical for horses, riding, and (by extension) speed and surnames. Indexes a large family of equine vocabulary: 驴 (donkey), 骡 (mule), 驼 (camel), 骑 (to ride), 驾 (to drive), 骏 (fine horse), 驰 (to gallop). Simplified 马 has 3 strokes; traditional 馬 has 10. Position varies — left or as standalone.