the Big Dipper; the Plough; the Plow
Archaic Japanese name for the Big Dipper asterism. The modern standard term is 北斗七星 (ほくとしちせい).
See also: 北斗七星
People long ago called the Big Dipper 'shisō no hoshi'.
The name literally means 'four-three stars', referring to the four stars of the dipper's bowl and the three stars of its handle. The exact historical origin is uncertain, but it is an old Japanese designation for the Big Dipper.