竹馬の友
Japanese
| Kanji in this term | ||
|---|---|---|
| 竹 | 馬 | 友 |
| ちく Grade: 1 |
ば Grade: 2 |
とも Grade: 2 |
| kan'on | kun'yomi | |
Etymology
From 竹馬 (chikuba, “bamboo horse; childhood”) + の (no, attributive particle) + 友 (tomo, “friend”). Cognate to Korean 죽마고우(竹馬故友) (jungmagou) and Chinese 竹馬之友 / 竹马之友 (zhúmǎzhīyǒu). Compare Chinese 青梅竹馬 / 青梅竹马 (qīngméizhúmǎ, “childhood sweethearts”, literally “green plums and bamboo horse”).
Noun
竹馬の友 • (chikuba no tomo)
- (literary) childhood friend
Synonyms
- 幼なじみ (osananajimi)