noun
archery, horsemanship, spearmanship, and swordsmanship; martial arts in general
A classical four-character compound listing the traditional martial skills of a samurai. Often used to evoke the ideal of the complete warrior or to refer to martial arts collectively.
弓馬槍剣に秀でた武将だった。
He was a commander excelling in archery, horsemanship, spearmanship, and swordsmanship.
この道場では弓馬槍剣の精神を重んじている。
This dojo values the spirit of the traditional martial arts.
A compound of 弓 (archery), 馬 (horsemanship), 槍 (spearmanship), and 剣 (swordsmanship), listing the four classical martial arts of the samurai. The exact historical origin is uncertain, but it is a traditional set phrase.