将を射んと欲すればまず馬を射よ

Japanese

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Kanji in this term
しょう
Grade: 6

Grade: 6
ほっ
Grade: 6
うま
Grade: 2

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

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Based on a poem by Du Fu.[1]

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

Proverb

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(しょう)()(ほっ)すればまず(うま)() (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

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References

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