pronoun
Archaic first-person pronoun used by nobles in the Heian period; not used in modern Japanese.
「麻呂は参内いたす」と古い文に書いてある。
In old texts, it is written, 'I shall go to the Imperial Palace.'
noun
thin or shaved eyebrows
Refers to a person with thin or shaved eyebrows, a style associated with Heian-era courtiers. Now a historical term.
平安時代の絵巻には麻呂眉の貴族が描かれている。
In Heian-period picture scrolls, nobles with shaved eyebrows are depicted.
suffix
affectionate suffix for names
Attached to names of young men or pets to express affection; also written as 丸. Archaic and rarely used today.
幼名の末に麻呂を付けることがあった。
The suffix 麻呂 was sometimes attached to childhood names.
Also used as a suffix for names (e.g., 牛若丸), but 丸 is the more common kanji for that suffix; 麻呂 is an older or variant spelling.
The origin is uncertain; it may derive from an ancient word for 'round' or 'circle', but the connection to the pronoun and suffix is unclear.