丈八蛇矛

Chinese

		zhang (unit of measurement)	eight	a long lance
trad. (丈八蛇矛)		丈	八	蛇矛
simp. ^#(丈八蛇矛)		丈	八	蛇矛

Etymology

丈八 (1.8 zhang: 4.158 meters or 13 feet 7.708776 inches) + 蛇矛 ("snake lance"; long lance)

Contrary to popular belief, the snake is more likely a reference to the lance's length rather than the shape of the lance's head.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): Zhàng bā shémáo

(Zhuyin): ㄓㄤˋ ㄅㄚㄕㄜˊ ㄇㄠˊ

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: Zhàng bā shémáo
  - Zhuyin: ㄓㄤˋ ㄅㄚㄕㄜˊ ㄇㄠˊ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: Jhàng ba shémáo
  - Wade–Giles: Chang⁴ pa¹ shê²-mao²
  - Yale: Jàng bā shé-máu
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: Janq ba shermau
  - Palladius: Чжан ба шэмао (Čžan ba šɛmao)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂɑŋ⁵¹ pä⁵⁵ ʂɤ³⁵ mɑʊ̯³⁵/

Proper noun

丈八蛇矛

(archaic) the long lance used by Zhang Fei

Zhang Fei's weapon may have looked something like the one in this Qing Dynasty handscroll, but slightly longer

Synonyms

丈八點鋼矛／丈八点钢矛 (Zhàng bā diǎngāng máo)

References

Luo, Guanzhong (14th century) Romance of the Three Kingdoms/Chapter 1 (overall work in Mandarin and English)

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