馬

• Primary: Horse.
• Collective/Military: Shorthand for cavalry or mounted forces, particularly in military and administrative contexts.
• Metaphorical: A person of exceptional talent (e.g., 千里馬 “thousand-li horse”), often regarding recruitment or unrecognized merit.
• Proper Noun: A common surname.

• Primarily a noun. If the glyph appears to be acting as a verb, it usually indicates an omitted action verb such as 騎 (to ride) or 驅 (to drive).

Contrast the neutral 馬 with more specific equestrian terms:

• 駒 (jū): A colt or young horse; implies youth or fragility.
• 駿 (jùn): A fine, fast, or superior horse; carries an inherent positive evaluation.

// Tang-period reading: //mǎ.

• Simplified variant: U+9A6C.

In biographies (liezhuan) or correspondence, check for kinship terms or titles to distinguish the animal from an individual of that surname.