竜馬

竜馬 (ryūme): a dragon horse piece in shogi

From Middle Chinese 龍馬 (MC ljowng maeX, literally “dragon horse”).

The 呉音 (goon, literally “Wu-sound”) reading, so likely the initial borrowing from Middle Chinese.

• (Tokyo) りゅ​うめ [ryúꜜùmè] (Atamadaka – [1])[1]
• IPA^(key): [ɾʲɨᵝːme̞]

竜(りゅう)馬(め) • (ryūme) 

1. (idiomatic) an excellent or very fast horse

   Synonyms: 駿馬 (shunme/shunba), 良馬 (ryōba)

2. (shogi) a promoted 角行 (kakugyō, “angle-mover”), having a move corresponding to both bishop and king in Western chess

   Synonyms: 馬 (uma), 成り角 (nari-kaku), 成った角 (natta kaku)

• When written on shogi pieces, the corresponding kyūjitai spelling 龍馬 is preferred.

• 竜(りゅう)馬(め)の躓(つまず)き (ryūme no tsumazuki)

Alteration of ryūme above, using the 慣用音 (kan’yōon, “common-use sound”) reading of ma for the second character.

• IPA^(key): [ɾʲɨᵝːma̠]

竜(りゅう)馬(ま) • (ryūma) 

1. (shogi, colloquial) a promoted 角行 (kakugyō, “angle-mover”), having a move corresponding to both bishop and king in Western chess

This reading is common, but might be considered by some to be less technically correct than the ryūme reading.[2]

Shift in pronunciation ryūme above.

The 漢音 (kan’on, literally “Han sound”) reading for both characters, so probably a reborrowing from a later stage of Middle Chinese.

• IPA^(key): [ɾʲo̞ːba̠]

竜(りょう)馬(ば) • (ryōba) 

1. (idiomatic) an excellent or very fast horse

This is a homophone with the synonymous spelling 良馬 (ryōba, literally “good horse”).

Alteration of ryūme above, using the 漢音 (kan’on, literally “Han sound”) reading reading of ryō for the first character.

• (Tokyo) りょ​ーめ [ryóꜜòmè] (Atamadaka – [1])[3]
• IPA^(key): [ɾʲo̞ːme̞]

竜(りょう)馬(め) • (ryōme) 

1. (idiomatic) an excellent or very fast horse

Probably an alteration of ryōba above, using the 慣用音 (kan’yōon, “common-use sound”) reading of ma for the second character.

• IPA^(key): [ɾʲo̞ːma̠]

竜(りょう)馬(ま) • (Ryōma) 

1. a surname

• 竜(たつ)の馬(うま) (tatsu no (u)ma)