2026 is the Year of the Horse! A detailed explanation of four-character idioms related to horses.
How many four-character idioms related to horses can you think of? From familiar ones like “horse’s ear, east wind” (bajitōfū: turning a deaf ear) and “Saiō losing his horse” (saiō shitsu ba: a blessing in disguise) to lesser-known expressions, there’s a wealth of idioms featuring horses.
Horses have long been close to people’s lives, and their form and nature have been etched into many words.
In this article, we highlight common four-character idioms that you can use in everyday conversation and business settings.
Once you learn their meanings and usage, you’ll find yourself nodding in agreement at the depth of the language.
Put them to use to boost your vocabulary!
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2026 is the Year of the Horse! A detailed explanation of four-character idioms related to horses (11–20)
Always on the move; living a busy, itinerant life (literally: south by ship, north by horse).
It’s an expression that describes someone who is constantly traveling or busily moving around from place to place.
It originates from China’s geography: in the south, with its many rivers and canals, boats are commonly used, while in the north, with its mountains and plains, horses are more common—hence these modes of transport appear in the phrase.
Because it evokes traveling by various means, it also clearly conveys the breadth of the journey.
Since your means of transportation changes depending on where you are, it could be fun to think about what the expression would look like in your own case.
Horses and cattle, collars and hems
This is a phrase used to admonish people who lack knowledge or cultivation, or who behave rudely.
The term “collar and hem” literally refers to the neckline and hem of clothing, implying that someone is no better than a cow or horse merely dressed in clothes—lacking human common sense.
While one might picture an animal character wearing clothes, the expression is not cute or whimsical; it carries a strong negative meaning.
It conveys the desire for the person not to be just an animal in clothes, but to become more human and sensible.
Tiny like a bean, small as a person — extremely small.
A four-character idiom that expresses how distant objects appear small, often used for perspective in painting.
It first appeared in the Chinese painter Jing Hao’s “Treatise on Landscape Painting” (Huà Shānshuǐ Fù) and became established as a term for a visual technique.
The expression describes horses and people in the distance being drawn as tiny as an inch-long horse or a grain-sized dot, using concrete sizes to make the image easy to grasp.
It conveys a mindset and practical guideline for drawing: distant things should be depicted smaller.
gluttony; to eat and drink like a horse (lit. “drinking like a whale and eating like a horse”)
It’s an expression that vividly conveys the act of eating and drinking to an extraordinary degree by likening it to animals.
Just as a whale drinks vast amounts of water, it describes someone downing alcohol, and just as a horse consumes large quantities of feed, it depicts someone taking in a lot of food—capturing the idea of binge drinking and overeating.
It emphasizes not only the sheer amount but also the voracious pace, carrying a subtle message to value one’s meals.
By comparing it to large animals and their behavior, it prompts deeper reflection on one’s own overindulgence in food and drink.
Mikemōma
This four-character idiom expresses the idea of trying to judge things only by their surface, and it also serves as a warning that doing so often leads to mistakes.
The term originated in the world of horse racing, where it referred to the skill of discerning a horse’s ability and qualities by examining its coat and build.
From there, it evolved to convey the danger of making judgments based solely on appearances.
It reminds us that looks are only one piece of evidence, and that sound judgment requires considering other aspects as well.
It’s something to recall especially when your thinking leans toward judging by appearances, as it offers a broader perspective.
In conclusion
We’ve introduced a number of four-character idioms related to horses—did any of them ring a bell? Horses, which have had a deep connection with humans since ancient times, appear in many classical sayings and four-character idioms. From commonly used ones to slightly rarer expressions, knowing them can greatly enrich your conversations and writing. If any term piqued your interest, be sure to look it up in detail and try using it in everyday conversation!