驂 (cān) - Third horse in a team of four & side horse in a chariot team
驂 · cān
Third horse in a team of four;
side horse in a chariot team;
to ride a horse as a team.
Third horse in a team of fourside horse in a chariot teamto ride a horse as a team.
Usage highlights
side horseride as third horsechariot teamleft side horseright side horseteam of horses
Usage & contexts
Examples
- The chariot was drawn by a team of four horses (驷马).
- He rode as the third horse in the team (乘驂).
- Ancient chariots often used side horses (驂馬).
Collocations
- side horse(驂馬)
- ride as third horse(乘驂)
- chariot team(驂乘)
- left side horse(左驂)
- right side horse(右驂)
- team of horses(驂驷)
Idioms
- Harnessed together in harmony(驂驥齊驅)
- Team of fine steeds(驂風駟霞)
Cultural background
FAQ- In ancient Chinese chariot warfare, teams typically consisted of four horses with specific positions and functions.
- The third horse (驂) was a side horse that helped with steering and stability rather than providing the main pulling power.
- This character appears frequently in classical texts describing military formations and aristocratic processions.