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馬前卒

简马前卒 · 繁馬前卒

Mandarin · pinyin mǎ qián zú

lackey
errand boy
lit. runner before a carriage

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Characters in this entry

馬: Look up this written character
前: qián · in front, forward; preceding
卒: zú · soldier; servant; at last, finally
马: mǎ · horse; surname; Kangxi radical 187

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

3–2–2 · ma3 qian2 zu2

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

馬前卒 · find source passages ↗ · 马前卒 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 2 senses · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

maa5 cin4 zeot1

Cantonese word readings for 馬前卒. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

noun

(historical) servant (runner) before a horse-drawn carriage that clears the way in front by shouting
(figuratively, often derogatory) one that serves others; pawn; cat's-paw; lackey

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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