About
The character 骠 (piào or biāo), in its traditional form 驃, is a phono-semantic compound from equestrian vocabulary. Its left-side radical 马 (mǎ), or 馬 traditionally, places it in the semantic category of horses and equine concepts. The right-side component 票 (piào) provides the phonetic element. The character originally described a strong, fast steed, specifically a prized yellow or reddish-yellow horse with white spots or a white mane in ancient cavalry. It was also frequently used in military titles, such as General of Agile Cavalry (骠骑将军), for commanders of elite, fast-moving mounted units.
Etymology Hide
