Etimoloji
From 竹馬 (chikuba, “bamboo horse; childhood”) + の (no, attributive particle) + 友 (tomo, “friend”). Cognate to Korean 죽마고우(竹馬故友) (jungmagou) and Chinese 竹馬之友 /竹马之友 (zhúmǎzhīyǒu). Compare Chinese 青梅竹馬 /青梅竹马 (qīngméizhúmǎ, “childhood sweethearts”, literally “green plums and bamboo horse”).