馬

馬 (마) is a pictographic character created to imitate the shape of a horse.

In early script forms—especially in oracle bone script and bronze inscriptions—the outline of a horse is clearly visible, with details like the mane, legs, and tail rendered quite recognizably.

In its radical form, 馬(마) can appear in different positions within a character, such as:

변 (left side)

방 (right side)

발 (bottom part)

Due to the horse’s historic role as a primary mode of transportation, the 馬 radical is often found in characters:

1. Directly related to horses

2. Or more broadly connected to riding, travel, or motion

Because of this, it's also sometimes used alongside 車 (차, vehicle) to indicate conveyance or movement.

Here are several common characters that use 馬 as their radical:

驛 (역) – post station

驅 (구) – to drive, urge on (e.g. drive horses)

騷 (소) – noisy, restless (originally described a horse's movement)

驚 (경) – to startle or surprise (as if a horse rearing)

駒 (구) – a colt or young horse

騎 (기) – to ride (especially a horse)

騰 (등) – to soar, gallop

驗 (험) – to test, verify (from originally inspecting horses)

駁 (박) – to refute or “spotted” (as in a spotted horse or striped animal)