马号 (mǎ háo) — (historical) a stable or horse-parking area in a courier station; (military) a long-tubed bugle used by cavalry; (military) signals played on such a bugle

Definition

A historical term with two unrelated senses: a stable/parking area for horses at an ancient courier station, OR a long bugle used by cavalry to play signals. Match the meaning from context.

noun
(historical) a stable or horse-parking area in a courier station(military) a long-tubed bugle used by cavalry(military) signals played on such a bugle

Examples

  • 马号，。
    Gǔ dài yì zhàn dōu yǒu mǎ háo, gòng mǎ pǐ xiū xi.
    Ancient courier stations all had ∼ for horses to rest.
  • 马号。
    mǎ háo Shì qí bīng shì bīng cháng yòng de xìn hào gōng jù.
    The ∼ is a signaling tool commonly used by cavalry soldiers.
  • 。
    Zhè wèi lǎo bīng hái néng chuī chū jǐ zhǒng mǎ háo de diào zi.
    This veteran can still play several ∼ tunes.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

马mǎhorse
号hàobugle/stable

马 points to horses or cavalry and 号 denotes a bugle or stable, together naming a horse-related place or signal.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 馬; 马 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 馬 shows a horse with its head facing left, a flowing mane, and two legs standing vertically.

Open 马 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 口口kǒumouth
  • 丂丂kǎoexhaled air; a tiger's cry

The shape 号 comes from 口, a mouth, and 丂, exhaled air or a tiger's cry.

Open 号 →

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