also: はくらく
noun
horse/cattle trader; connoisseur of horses
Historically referred to a person who traded or judged horses/cattle. The term can be sensitive when applied to people, as it may imply treating humans like livestock. In modern usage, it is rare and mostly found in historical or figurative contexts.
彼の祖父は昔、伯楽として馬の売買をしていた。
His grandfather used to work as a horse trader long ago.
伯楽の目を持つ彼
With the eye of a horse connoisseur, he is good at discerning the potential of racehorses.
Alternate spelling; less common than 伯楽.
Rare spelling using 馬 (horse) and 喰 (eat); may be encountered in historical texts.
Originally from Chinese 伯樂 (Bólè), the name of a legendary judge of horses. In Japanese, it came to refer to a horse trader or connoisseur. The reading ばくろう is a Japanese approximation of the Chinese, while はくらく is a more direct on'yomi reading.