A metal mouthpiece used to control a horse, placed in the mouth and attached to the bridle. The word is usually written in kana.
See also: 轡
I put the bit in the horse's mouth before starting to ride.
If the bit doesn't fit well, the horse may resist.
Katakana spelling, sometimes used in technical or equestrian contexts.
Rare kanji spelling; the reading はめ is also possible but less common.
The origin is uncertain; the word is native Japanese. The kanji 馬銜 literally means 'horse hold in mouth', but the kana spelling is standard.