马，古人称之为“行走在地上的龙”，在源远流长的中华文化中占据着重要地位。这一神奇动物，不仅在古代出行和战争中肩负重任，更是承载着中华儿女对美好生活的向往和追求，象征着吉祥与幸福、自由与奔放、忠诚与勇敢、力量与速度。

可以说，马的影子在中华文化中随处可见。《逸礼·王度记》中的“天子驾六，诸侯驾五，卿驾四，大夫三，士二，庶人一”说明马的数量直接彰显了权力与等级。“十里一走马，五里一扬鞭”的驿骑，可见马作为古代通信与物流的“生命线”。《三国演义》中的赤兔马，随吕布威震虎牢关，伴关羽斩颜良、诛文丑，最后绝食殉主，其传奇故事堪称一部波澜壮阔的“马生”史诗，至今仍为人们所津津乐道。李贺，这位中唐的“诗鬼”，写过二十三首《马诗》，首首咏马，堪称以马为核心意象的组诗杰作。徐悲鸿创作的《奔马图》展现了马的力量之美，传递了不屈的民族气节。再说，古人对马的称谓极为讲究，“骥”为名马，“骐”为青黑纹马，“骅”为赤色马，“骝”为黑鬃黑尾的红马。其实，以“马”为核心意象的成语（如“龙马精神”“马到成功”“一马当先”）数不胜数，深深根植于中华民族的文化心理，构建了一个丰富多彩的文化符号体系。种种迹象表明，马已渗透到了中华文化的方方面面。

2026年，是中国农历丙午年，即民间生肖纪年的马年。在这马年来临之际，让我们重新检阅一下汉英词典中一些与“马”相关的成语、谚语、俗语，聊作一种新年之乐吧。

本文的语料主要选取自陆谷孙教授主编的《中华汉英大词典》，均为该词典的编纂者自以为迻译尚有特点的与“马”有关的习语与俗语，其目的在于与广大读者共享并敦请广大读者指谬。

一、与“马”相关的四字成语

1.1 鞍前马后  <idiom> （now in front of the saddle， now behind the horse） officious（ly）： ～跟你跑，出生入死为你干 I shall follow you through thick and thin， and go through fire and water for you

1.2 兵荒马乱  also 人荒马乱 <idiom> （soldiers in disorder and horses in chaos） turmoil of war; chaotic or turbulent situation in war： 此时四处～，朝秦暮楚 with the fires of war now raging everywhere， allegiance becomes as fickle as the weather

1.3 兵强马壮  <idiom> （strong soldiers and sturdy horses） well-trained and equipped army with high morale： 天下宁有种邪？～者为之尔！how can the throne be predestined for some？ it falls to whoever commands the mightiest army

1.4 车马盈门  <idiom> （carriages and horses pack at the gate） to have many guests or customers; to be prosperous： 得意时～，失意时门庭冷落 those in luck have visitors thronging their houses; those in distress find their houses entirely deserted

1.5 车水马龙  <idiom> （endless stream of horses and carriages） 1.steady stream of traffic; heavy traffic： ～呈美景 the bustling traffic makes a splendid scene 2.to be popular and prosperous [in that there are endless visitors]

1.6 单枪匹马  <idiom> （one spear and one horse） all by oneself; alone; single-handed： ～面对强大的对手 stand all alone against a formidable opponent

1.7 害群之马  <idiom> （an evil horse in the herd） person harmful to a group or society; black sheep： 他经常散播谣言、破坏团结，简直是我们的～ constantly spreading rumors and undermining our solidarity， he is really a bad apple among us

1.8 汗马功劳  <idiom> distinguished service [in combat， or by extension， in labour]： 为公司的成功立下了～ have made tireless efforts and exceptional contributions to the company’s success

1.9 猴年马月  <idiom> （the year of the monkey and the month of the horse） impossible date; lord knows when; never： 这投资～才能赢利呀 the investment seems to lose money forever

1.10 见鞍思马  <idiom> （to miss one’s horse upon seeing the saddle） to think of sth associated with what one sees： ～， 睹物思人 think of one’s horse upon seeing the saddle， and miss one’s beloved upon seeing the object

1.11 金戈铁马  <idiom> （glistening spears and armoured horses） 1.war; warfare 2.heroic appearance （of soldier）： 想当年～，气吞万里如虎 I recall those years of iron-clad steeds， sweeping across the land with a tiger’s might and speed 3.military position; army man

1.12 快马加鞭  <idiom> （to use a whip on a fast horse） 1.to ride at high or top speed; to ride whip and spur; to ride posthaste 2.to accelerate one’s speed; to speed up; to redouble one’s speed： 农产品电子商务发展须～ it is imperative to press ahead with full speed in developing e-commerce for agricultural products.

1.13 老马识途  <idiom> an old horse knows the way [modest self-reference]： 鄙人不才， 但～， 或许能相助 I am not so smart but I am experienced at this， so I might be of some help

1.14 溜须拍马  <idiom> to fawn upon; to bootlick; to shamelessly flatter： 他在学校里就善于～ he used to be a notorious flunky at school

1.15 龙马精神  <idiom> （vigour of a dragon and a horse） vigorous and exuberant spirit; vigorous spirit of the aged; full of vitality： 祝愿大家新的一年能够～，奋发有为 may the New Year fill you with the heart of a lion and the energy of a steed， bringing you vigor and enterprise

1.16 马不停蹄  also 马不解鞍 <idiom> （the horse’s hoofs never stop or the saddle is never off the horse） nonstop; with dispatch： 部队～地赶到了目的地 the troops pressed on without ceasing and eventually reached their destination

1.17 马到成功  <idiom> （when the horse arrives success is achieved） 1.to achieve immediate victory or success 2.<polite> speedy success： 祝你～ I wish you instant success

1.18 马革裹尸  <idiom> （to wrap the corpse in horse’s trappings） to die in battle： 将军立下～之志 the general swore an oath to die a glorious death in action

1.19 马马虎虎  <idiom> 1.casual（ly）; careless（ly）; slapdash： ～地看一下文章 take a cursory look at the article 2.not bad; so-so： 这本书怎么样？ ——～吧 how is this book？ – just so-so

1.20 马失前蹄  <idiom> （the horse stumbles on its front hooves） to fail due to an accidental error or mistake; to make a big accidental mistake： 想不到他一时疏忽， ～， 竟然输在一个初出茅庐的孩子上 to think that a momentary lapse made him come a cropper and lose to a young greenhorn

1.21 秣马厉兵  also 秣马利兵， 厉兵秣马 <idiom> （to feed horses and sharpen weapons） to prepare actively for war or a competition： 下周就要比赛了，咱们得～好好准备 the competition is next week; it’s time to sharpen our weapons and feed the horses

1.22 千军万马  <idiom> （a thousand troops and ten thousand horses） powerful army; mighty force： ～， 锐不可当 like the charge of a powerful army which no force can withstand

1.23 青梅竹马 <idiom> （green plums and bamboo horse） innocent childhood compan-ionship （of a boy and a girl）： 他们从小一起长大，～，感情深厚 having grown up together as playmates and companions since early childhood， they have always had a close relationship

1.24 犬马之劳  <idiom> to serve （faithfully） like a dog or horse [modest reference to one’s own   services]： 愿效～ I am willing to do my bit for you

1.25 人仰马翻  also 马翻人仰 <idiom> （horses overturned and men on their backs） 1.completely routed; utterly defeated： 天空是湛蓝湛蓝的，真不像双方就要杀得～ the sky was serenely blue， giving no hint that soon both sides would be locked in a scene of utter carnage 2.complete confusion

1.26 戎马生涯  <idiom> military life： 在他前半生的～中，几乎是战无不胜的 he was virtually invincible throughout the first half of his military career

1.27 声色犬马  also 声色狗马 <idiom> （music， women， dog keeping and horse riding） 1.sensual pleasures， carnal pleasures [usu pursued by the ruling class in ancient times]： 悦之以～ make him bask in sensual pleasures 2.to drown oneself in sex and pleasures; to lose oneself in depraved entertainment; to indulge in every luxury

1.28 天马行空  <idiom> （a heavenly horse runs the skies） a powerful and free style in literature or calligraphy： 殆犹～而步骤不凡 like a Pegasus in its flight——a master’s hand in all its grace and might

1.28 万马奔腾  <idiom> （all horses galloping） going great guns; going full steam： 外面的～似的爆竹声送进他的耳朵里来 from outside came the sound of firecrackers， like the thunder of ten thousand horses， pounding in his ears

1.30 心猿意马  <idiom> （heart agile like an ape and thoughts swift like a horse） capri-cious; fanciful and fickle： 俺从今把～紧牢拴，将繁华不挂眼 henceforth I shall rein in my wandering thoughts and idle fancies， and disregard the vanities of this fleeting world

1.31 悬崖勒马  <idiom> （to rein in a horse at the edge of a precipice） to realize and escape from danger in the nick of time; to ward off disaster before it is too late： 此书生～，可谓大智矣 this scholar had the wisdom to pull back from the brink， showing true insight

1.32 一马当先  <idiom> 1.to be in the forefront; to play a leading role： 他～， 率领战士奋勇突围 fighting in the forefront himself， he led the soldiers out of the encirclement 2.galloping horse

1.33 指鹿为马  <idiom> （to point at a deer and call it a horse） to misrepresent wilfully： 西邻纵有责言，终难～ despite the potential criticisms from our western neighbor， they eventually cannot call a stag a horse and twist the truth

1.34 蛛丝马迹  <idiom> （spider’s thread and horse tracks） traces; clues; leads： 机敏的公安人员根据现场的～，很快找到了作案人的线索 the sharp-witted police officers soon traced the clues of the perpetrator from the slightest clues at the scene

1.35 走马赴任  also 走马上任 <idiom> to take up a post， to assume duties or a post， to take up office， to get into the saddle [esp to take up an official post]： 很快他就～ he will assume office very soon

二、四字以上的成语或俗语

2.1 兵马未动， 粮草先行  <familiar> （food and fodder should go before troops start） spadework claims utmost importance in any project： “～”从来不是简单的军事教条 “troops move not， provisions go first” is never a simple military doctrine， but a profound strategic principle

2.2 风马牛不相及  <idiom> （the wind， the horse， and the cow are not interrelated） to have nothing to do with one another; to have nothing in common; to be absolutely different： 你说的和这事～ what you said is way off the mark with this

2.3 好马不吃回头草  <familiar> （a good horse does not eat the grass behind it） a great man does not dwell on things of the past; a resolute person constantly presses onward： ～，兔子不吃窝边草 just as a wise horse doesn’t return to old pastures， so a rabbit doesn’t eat the grass by its burrow

2.4 驴唇不对马嘴  <idiom> （the donkey’s lips don’t fit a horse’s mouth） irrelevant answer; far-fetched analogy： 他在解释这个科学现象时，说的话～，显然对相关知识并不了解 his explanation of this scientific phenomenon showed he couldn’t put two and two together without making five， proving his ignorance on the subject

2.5 路遥知马力  <idiom> 1.a long road tests a horse’s strength： ～， 事久见人心 as distance tests a horse’s strength， so time reveals a person’s heart 2. time proves hearts

2.6 马无夜草不肥  <idiom> （a horse doesn’t fatten up without eating at night） a person doesn’t get rich just working his regular job [ie one needs a windfall， lucky break， grey income， etc， not necessarily dishonest]： ～，人不得外财不富 just as a horse needs midnight fodder to grow fat， so a man needs a windfall to get rich

2.7 牛头不对马嘴  <familiar> （an ox head not matching a horse mouth） irrelevant; far-fetched： 他的回答显然～ obviously he answered the wrong thing

2.8 塞翁失马， 安知非福  <idiom> （when the old man on the frontier lost his horse， who could have guessed it was a blessing in disguise， for it brought back with it a herd of horses in the end） a blessing in disguise; every cloud has a silver lining： 他虽然失去了那份工作，但没想到因此得到了一个更好的机会，真是～啊 losing that job was a blessing in disguise for him， as it unexpectedly led to a far better opportunity

2.9望山跑死马  <idiom> （you can see the mountain but it would kill your horse to get there） illusorily near; so near and yet so far： ～， 但山就在那里，不动声色地等你 the mountain looks deceptively near， yet it waits for you， silently and patiently

2.10 一言既出， 驷马难追  <idiom> （once spoken a word cannot be overtaken even by a team of four horses） what is said cannot be taken back： 大丈夫做事， ～ a real man never goes back on his words

汉语中与“马”有关的成语、俗语或谚语实在太丰富了，如“宝马香车”“伯乐相马”“车马之喧”“马如游龙”“半天云里跑马——露马脚”“鞭打的快马，事找的忙人”“长颈鹿进马群——高出了头”“长袍马褂瓜皮帽——老一套”“老将出马，一个顶俩”“马不打不奔，人不激不发”“马好不在叫，人美不在貌”“马群奔驰靠头马”“千里马常有，而伯乐不常有”“人奔家乡马奔草”“人不在大小，马不在高低”“射人先射马，擒贼先擒王”等表达法的英文翻译，更待我们共同探索。