Southern Ships and Northern Horses

Japanese: 南船北馬 - なんせんほくば

Traveling south by boat and north by horseback. A metaphor for constantly traveling or busily traveling to various places.

[Example] When I was busy with my success, I had almost no time to relax. [Uchida Roan * Social Aspects｜1902]

[Example] Chinese cultural artefacts with deep insight Excuse celebrate Admiration B The southern ships, the northern horses, the 18 provinces Whole Amane And yet it is still not enough [Nagai Kafu * Raiseika｜1918]

[Explanation] In China, the southern part of the country has many rivers and canals, so boats are used for transportation, while the northern part of the country has many mountains and plains, so horses are more commonly used for transportation. This term comes from the fact that the southern part of the country has many rivers and canals, so boats are used more for transportation, while the northern part of the country has many mountains and plains, so horses are more commonly used for transportation.

Source: Dictionary of Four-character Idioms About Dictionary of Four-character Idioms Information

Japanese:

南へ船で行き、北へ馬で行く意。絶えず旅を続けること、各地にせわしく旅行することのたとえ。

[使用例] 功名に忙しくて南船北馬、ほとんど寧日なかった時は［内田魯庵＊社会百面相｜1902］

[使用例] 先考の深く中華の文物を憬けい慕ぼせらるるや、南船北馬その遊跡十八省に遍あまねくしてなお足れりとせず［永井荷風＊来青花｜1918］

[解説] 中国では、交通に、南部は川や運河が多いので船を、北部は山や平原が多いので馬を多く用いるところからいったことば。

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