骖 (cān) - Third horse in a team & outside horse in a chariot team
骖 · cān
Third horse in a team;
outside horse in a chariot team;
to ride a horse.
Third horse in a teamoutside horse in a chariot teamto ride a horse.
Usage highlights
Third horseChariot team horseOutside horseRide a horseLeftRight
Usage & contexts
Examples
- The chariot was drawn by a team of four horses (骖乘).
- He rode the outside horse (骖马) in the procession.
- In ancient texts, 骖 refers to the third horse (骖服).
Collocations
- Third horse(骖马)
- Chariot team horse(骖乘)
- Outside horse(骖服)
- Ride a horse(骖骑)
- Left-side horse(左骖)
- Right-side horse(右骖)
Idioms
- Harnessed together like team horses(骖驷齐驱)
- Matching pace with team horses(骖靳相随)
- Horses running in unison(骖风驷霞)
Cultural background
FAQ- In ancient Chinese chariot warfare, 骖 specifically referred to the outside horses in a team of three or four horses.
- The term appears frequently in classical texts like the Book of Songs and historical records describing chariot formations.
- In ritual contexts, the positioning of 骖 horses indicated rank and protocol in processions.