竜馬

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

From Middle Chinese 龍馬 (ljowng mæ^X, literally “dragon + horse”). The goon reading, so likely the initial borrowing.

Pronunciation

• On’yomi: Goon
  • IPA^(key): [ɾʲɨᵝːme̞]

Noun

竜馬 (shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai kanji 龍馬, hiragana りゅうめ, rōmaji ryūme)

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

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
Unpromoted pieces (生駒 (なまごま))	name	王 (おう)将 (しょう) 玉 (ぎょく)将 (しょう)	金 (きん)将 (しょう)	銀 (ぎん)将 (しょう)	桂 (けい)馬 (ま)	香 (きょう)車 (しゃ)	飛 (ひ)車 (しゃ)	角 (かく)行 (ぎょう)	歩 (ふ)兵 (ひょう)
	abbr.	王 玉	金	銀	桂	香	飛	角	歩
Promoted pieces (成駒 (なりごま))	name	-	-	成 (なり)銀 (ぎん)	成 (なり)桂 (けい)	成 (なり)香 (きょう)	竜 (りゅう)王 (おう)	竜 (りゅう)馬 (め)	と金 (きん)
	abbr.	-	-	全	圭	杏	竜	馬	と

Etymology 2

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

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

Pronunciation

• On’yomi
  • IPA^(key): [ɾʲɨᵝːma̠]

Noun

竜馬 (shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai kanji 龍馬, hiragana りゅうま, rōmaji ryūma)

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.[1]

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

Shift in pronunciation ryūme above. The kan'on for both characters, so probably a re-borrowing from a later stage of Middle Chinese.

Pronunciation

• On’yomi: Kan’on
  • IPA^(key): [ɾʲo̞ːba̠]

Noun

竜馬 (shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai kanji 龍馬, hiragana りょうば, rōmaji ryōba)

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

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

Pronunciation

• On’yomi
  • (Tokyo) りょ​ーめ [ryóꜜòmè] (Atamadaka – [1])[2]
  • IPA^(key): [ɾʲo̞ːme̞]

Noun

竜馬 (shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai kanji 龍馬, hiragana りょうめ, rōmaji ryōme)

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

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

Pronunciation

• On’yomi
  • IPA^(key): [ɾʲo̞ːma̠]

Proper noun

竜馬 (shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai kanji 龍馬, hiragana りょうま, rōmaji Ryōma)

1. A surname​.

Etymology 6

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

Compound of 竜 (tatsu, “dragon”) +‎ の (no, possessive particle) +‎ 馬 (uma, “horse”).[3][2] The no is implied in this spelling.

Alternative forms

• 竜の馬

Pronunciation

• Kun’yomi
  • IPA^(key): [ta̠t͡sɨᵝ no̞ ɯ̟ᵝma̠]

Noun

竜馬 (shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai kanji 龍馬, hiragana たつのうま, rōmaji tatsu no uma)

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)

References

1. 1995, 大辞泉 (Daijisen) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
2. 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
3. 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan