妙みょう手しゅ

みょ

う

しゅ

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

brilliant move; spectacular play

Primarily used in board games such as shogi, chess, and go for a clever or decisive move. Can also be used metaphorically for a brilliant strategic move in other contexts.

彼かれは終しゅう盤ばんで妙みょう手しゅを指さして逆ぎゃく転てんした。
He made a brilliant move in the endgame and turned the tables.
その一いっ手てはまさに妙みょう手しゅだった。
That move was truly a stroke of genius.

noun

expert; master; virtuoso

Refers to a person with exceptional skill, especially in arts, crafts, or games. Often used in formal or literary contexts.

彼かれは書しょ道どうの妙みょう手しゅとして知しられている。
He is known as a master of calligraphy.

See all 8 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉が妙みょう手しゅを打うつfor someone to play a brilliant move
棋き士しがここで妙みょう手しゅを打うった。
The player made a brilliant move here.
〈事こと〉の妙みょう手しゅa master of a particular skill or field
彼かれは料りょう理りの妙みょう手しゅとして知しられている。
He is known as a master of cooking.
妙みょう手しゅが飛とび出だすfor a brilliant move to suddenly appear
終しゅう盤ばんで妙みょう手しゅが飛とび出だし、観かん客きゃくを驚おどろかせた。
A brilliant move suddenly appeared in the endgame, surprising the spectators.

Kanji

妙exquisite, strange, queer
手hand

Related words

名めい手しゅ sense 2
名手 is the common, neutral word for a skilled expert or virtuoso, while 妙手 (sense: expert) adds a literary nuance of ingenious, almost magical skill.
好こう手しゅ sense 1
好手 describes a good, solid move in a board game, whereas 妙手 specifically implies a brilliant or unexpected move that surprises opponents.

Opposites

悪あく手しゅ sense 1
悪手 is a bad or losing move in shogi/go, the direct opposite of 妙手's brilliant move.

Don't confuse with

妙みょう技ぎ sense 1
妙技 refers to a skillful feat or performance in general (e.g. sports, acrobatics), while 妙手 is specifically a brilliant move in a game like shogi or go, or a person with such skill.

Counted with

手てN5
Used for moves in games like go or shogi.

Etymology

Compound of 妙 (myō, 'exquisite, strange, ingenious') and 手 (shu, 'hand, move, person'). The game sense derives from the idea of an ingenious hand/move; the expert sense extends the idea of skillful hands to a person.