馬ば脚きゃく

noun

horse's legs

Literal meaning, rarely used outside the idiom 馬脚を現す.

• 「馬ば脚きゃく」という言こと葉ばは、文も字じ通どおりには馬うまの脚あしを指さすが、普ふ通つうは慣かん用よう句くで使つかわれる。

  The word 馬脚 literally means a horse's legs, but it is normally used in the idiom.

noun

stagehand playing a horse's hind legs

Refers to a performer who operates the back legs of a horse costume in traditional theater. This sense is historical and rarely used in modern conversation.

See also: 馬脚を現す

• 昔むかしの芝しば居いでは、馬ば脚きゃくという役やく者しゃが馬うまの後うしろ足あしを演えんじた。

  In old plays, a performer called 馬脚 acted as the horse's hind legs.