将を射んと欲すればまず馬を射よ

将を射んと欲すればまず馬を射よ

Japanese

Kanji in this term
将	射	欲	馬	射
しょう Grade: 6	い Grade: 6	ほっ Grade: 6	うま Grade: 2	い Grade: 6
kan’on	kun’yomi

Alternative spellings
將を射んと欲すればまず馬を射よ (kyūjitai) 将を射んと欲すれば先ず馬を射よ

Etymology

Based on a poem by Du Fu.[1]

Literally “to shoot the general, first shoot his horse”.

Proverb

将(しょう)を射(い)んと欲(ほっ)すればまず馬(うま)を射(い)よ • (shō o in to hossureba mazu uma o iyo) 

1. begin with the lesser things to obtain the greater; he who would the daughter win, must with the mother first begin[2]

See also

• 人(ひと)を射(い)んとせばまず馬(うま)を射(い)よ (hito o in to seba mazu uma o iyo)

References

1. 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
2. Daniel Crump Buchanan, editor (1965) Japanese Proverbs and Sayings, reprint, revised edition, University of Oklahoma Press, →ISBN, page 130