竜馬

See also: 龍馬 and 龙马

Japanese

FWOTD – 27 July 2018

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
竜	馬
りゅう Grade: S	め Grade: 2
goon

Alternative spelling
龍馬 (kyūjitai)

竜馬 (ryūme): a dragon horse piece in shogi

From Middle Chinese 龍馬 (MC ljowng maeX, literally “dragon horse”).

The 呉音 (goon, literally “Wu-sound”) reading, so likely the initial borrowing from Middle Chinese.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) りゅ​うめ [ryúꜜùmè] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [ɾʲɨᵝːme̞]

Noun

竜(りゅう)馬(め) • (ryūme) 

1. (idiomatic) an excellent or very fast horse

   Synonyms: 駿馬 (shunme/shunba), 良馬 (ryōba)

2. (shogi) a promoted 角行 (kakugyō, “angle-mover”), having a move corresponding to both bishop and king in Western chess

   Synonyms: 馬 (uma), 成り角 (nari-kaku), 成った角 (natta kaku)

Usage notes

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

Derived terms

• 竜(りゅう)馬(め)の躓(つまず)き (ryūme no tsumazuki)

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
goon	kan’yōon

Alternative spelling
龍馬 (kyūjitai)

Alteration of ryūme above, using the 慣用音 (kan’yōon, “common-use sound”) reading of ma for the second character.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɾʲɨᵝːma̠]

Noun

竜(りゅう)馬(ま) • (ryūma) 

1. (shogi, colloquial) a promoted 角行 (kakugyō, “angle-mover”), having a move corresponding to both bishop and king in Western chess

Usage notes

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

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
竜	馬
りょう Grade: S	ば Grade: 2
kan’on

Alternative spelling
龍馬 (kyūjitai)

Shift in pronunciation ryūme above.

The 漢音 (kan’on, literally “Han sound”) reading for both characters, so probably a reborrowing from a later stage of Middle Chinese.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɾʲo̞ːba̠]

Noun

竜(りょう)馬(ば) • (ryōba) 

1. (idiomatic) an excellent or very fast horse

Usage notes

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

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
竜	馬
りょう Grade: S	め Grade: 2
kan’on	goon

Alternative spelling
龍馬 (kyūjitai)

Alteration of ryūme above, using the 漢音 (kan’on, literally “Han sound”) reading reading of ryō for the first character.

Pronunciation

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

Noun

竜(りょう)馬(め) • (ryōme) 

1. (idiomatic) an excellent or very fast horse

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 慣用音 (kan’yōon, “common-use sound”) reading of ma for the second character.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɾʲo̞ːma̠]

Proper noun

竜(りょう)馬(ま) • (Ryōma) 

1. a surname

See also

• 竜(たつ)の馬(うま) (tatsu no (u)ma)