| 北 |
běi sǒu shī mǎ | lit. the old man lost his horse, but it all turned out for the best (idiom) / fig. a blessing in disguise / it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good |
| 北 |
běi | north / (classical) to be defeated |
| 叟 |
sǒu | old gentleman / old man |
| 失 |
shī | to lose / to miss / to fail |
| 马 |
Mǎ | surname Ma / abbr. for Malaysia 马来西亚 |
| 马 |
mǎ | horse / CL:匹 / horse or cavalry piece in Chinese chess / knight in Western chess |