Meaning
pen; pencil; writing brush; to write or compose; the strokes of Chinese characters
Chinese: 写作、文字、刷子、画笔。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “bi” becomes a different word in each tone. 笔 is the 3rd tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.
Stroke Order
Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.
Common Words
- 笔记本bǐ jì běnnotebook (stationery) (; (computing) laptop; notebook
- 笔记bǐ jìto take down (in writing); notes; a type of literature consisting mainly of short sketches
- 铅笔qiān bǐ(lead) pencil
- 笔试bǐ shìwritten examination; paper test (for an applicant)
- 钢笔gāng bǐfountain pen
Example Sentence
请用钢笔写下你的名字。Qǐng yòng gāng bǐ xiě xià nǐ de míng zi.Please write your name with a pen.
请Qǐngto ask用yòngto use钢笔gāng bǐfountain pen写下xiě xiàto write down你nǐyou的deof名字míng ziname (of a person or thing。
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
Bamboo (⺮) over hair (毛): a brush made of animal hair set in a bamboo handle — a ‘pen / brush’. Simplified from 筆.
A way to remember it
Bamboo (⺮) + hair (毛) — a writing brush.
Easy to confuse with
- 毛‘Hair’: the lower part of 笔 — the bristles of the brush.