<p>Han Shaogong uses a lot of topolect phrases in his writings. This could be one of those.</p>

<p>Apparently 赶马驭树的人 means "people who pass by" in context. 赶马驭树 doesn't make literal sense, especially the 驭树 part, but a lot of things in language make no literal sense. </p>

<p>A similar, but more widely know case could be 偷鸡摸狗. It's just a general term of thieving. You don't need to steal a hen and touch a dog to be called a 偷鸡摸狗的人.</p>

<p>The story background is at Jiangxi, Han Shaogong himself is from Hunan. Perhaps someone from those regions could explain it a bit more.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-15T10:52:06.297Z
"more widely know case" seems to be an understatement, 偷鸡摸狗 is in any dictionary, e.g. bkrs to imitate the dog and steal chicken (idiom); to dally with women
to have affairs
tōu jī mō gǒu
do things stealthily; have illicit relations with women; whore like rutting dogs and fowls
tōujīmōgǒu
I id.
1) steal
2) engage in under-the-table dealings
3) engage in extramarital sex
II n.
1) unprincipled person
2) thief
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-16T13:13:15.893Z
The use of 马 in the expression,  in a story that takes place in Jiangxi is quite strange. it could mean something like: people who went up on the mointains with horse-cart  to gather firewood saw...
Rosa
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-15T10:06:33.340Z
2017-12-17T02:03:41.337Z
2017-12-17T02:03:41.337Z
Wang Dingwei
<p>What does the expression 赶马驭树 mean? Is it correct to understand it as: to gather firewood and transport it with horses?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-14T23:43:19.237Z
More context and check the phrase. Are you sure you wrote it correctly?
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-15T00:09:32.800Z
suggested translation doubtful:
cf。bkrs:驭variant of 御[yù]
to drive
to manage
to control1) 驾驭车马。
2) 泛指乘驾。
3) 驭手；驾驭车马的人。
4) 马；车驾。
5) 统治；治理。
6) 指教化天下之道，统治国家之权。
7) 控制；制约。
8) 与女子交合 
most frequent compounds **驾驭** (1) [rein]∶驱使车马
一匹难以驾驭的马
(2) [rule; control; govern; master]∶比喻掌握控制; 支配
驾驭局势
**驭手**
_
[soldier in charge of pack animals; driver of a military pack train] 使役牲畜的士兵 
firewood: **木柴； 柴火； 柴草** , iciba:他们有时只好 **砍树当柴烧** 。
user6065
<translation><meaning>
An expression found in a short story by contemporary writer Han Shaogong
# An expression found in a short story by contemporary writer Han Shaogong

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-12-14)

What does the expression 赶马驭树 mean? Is it correct to understand it as: to gather firewood and transport it with horses?

**Tags:** translation, meaning
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: More context and check the phrase. Are you sure you wrote it correctly?  
> **username_2**: suggested translation doubtful: cf。bkrs:驭variant of 御[yù] to drive to manage to control1) 驾驭车马。 2) 泛指乘驾。 3) 驭手；驾驭车马的人。 4) 马；车驾。 5) 统治；治理。 6) 指教化天下之道，统治国家之权。 7) 控制；制约。 8) 与女子交合  most frequent compounds **驾驭** (1) [rein]∶驱使车马 一匹难以驾驭的马 (2) [rule; control; govern; master]∶比喻掌握控制; 支配 驾驭局势 **驭手** _ [soldier in charge of pack animals; driver of a military pack train] 使役牲畜的士兵  firewood: **木柴； 柴火； 柴草** , iciba:他们有时只好 **砍树当柴烧** 。  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-12-15. Score: 1

Han Shaogong uses a lot of topolect phrases in his writings. This could be one of those.

Apparently 赶马驭树的人 means "people who pass by" in context. 赶马驭树 doesn't make literal sense, especially the 驭树 part, but a lot of things in language make no literal sense.

A similar, but more widely know case could be 偷鸡摸狗. It's just a general term of thieving. You don't need to steal a hen and touch a dog to be called a 偷鸡摸狗的人.

The story background is at Jiangxi, Han Shaogong himself is from Hunan. Perhaps someone from those regions could explain it a bit more.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: "more widely know case" seems to be an understatement, 偷鸡摸狗 is in any dictionary, e.g. bkrs to imitate the dog and steal chicken (idiom); to dally with women to have affairs tōu jī mō gǒu do things stealthily; have illicit relations with women; whore like rutting dogs and fowls tōujīmōgǒu I id. 1) steal 2) engage in under-the-table dealings 3) engage in extramarital sex II n. 1) unprincipled person 2) thief  
> **username_0**: The use of 马 in the expression,  in a story that takes place in Jiangxi is quite strange. it could mean something like: people who went up on the mointains with horse-cart  to gather firewood saw...  

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