KANAE
147Japanese idiom 四字熟語

馬が合う

Uma ga au

“Getting along like rider and horse.”

Word for wordThe horse suits.

The meaning

With some people everything flows, like a rider and horse made for each other. These natural fits are rare: they are to be recognized and cultivated.

At the origin

An expression born of horsemanship: a good pairing cannot be forced.

The characters

  1. umahorse
  2. gasubject marker
  3. 合う

The complete word-by-word reading, in KANAE.

ParticleMarks the subject: the one who does, or what is.

In practice

Identify the people with whom "the horse suits" — and see them more.

Themes

Similar proverbs

See also