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将を射んと欲すればまず馬を射よ

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Japanese

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Kanji in this term
将 射 欲 馬 射
しょう
Grade: 6 		い
Grade: 6 		ほっ
Grade: 6 		うま
Grade: 2 		い
Grade: 6
kan'on kun'yomi
Alternative spellings
將を射んと欲すればまず馬を射よ (kyūjitai)
将を射んと欲すれば先ず馬を射よ

Etymology

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Based on a poem by Du Fu.[1]

Literally “to shoot the general, first shoot his horse”.

Proverb

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将(しょう)を射(い)んと欲(ほっ)すればまず馬(うま)を射(い)よ • (shō o in to hossureba mazu uma o iyo) 

  1. begin with the lesser things to obtain the greater; he who would the daughter win, must with the mother first begin[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  2. ^ Daniel Crump Buchanan, editor (1965), Japanese Proverbs and Sayings, reprint, revised edition, University of Oklahoma Press, →ISBN, page 130
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