Horse Rein

It names the reins or bridle strap used to guide a horse.

The Book of Rites, an early Chinese etiquette text, uses it in the rule 馬則執靮 in its 少儀 chapter: when handling a horse, hold it by the reins. A later supplement to the early Chinese character dictionary 《說文》 glosses 靮 as 馬羈, or horse tack, and analyzes 革 as the leather meaning component and 勺 as a sound component. Later literary writing extends the tack sense to restraint or fettering.