bǐ: 笔 - Pen, Pencil; Measure Word for Money/Strokes

Keywords: 笔, bǐ, Chinese for pen, Chinese writing tool, measure word 笔, Chinese character strokes, a sum of money in Chinese, calligraphy brush, 文房四宝, learning Chinese writing.

Summary: Discover the meaning of 笔 (bǐ), a fundamental Chinese character. While its primary meaning is “pen” or “pencil,” 笔 is also a crucial measure word for sums of money, business deals, and the very strokes that form Chinese characters. This page explores its cultural significance as one of the “Four Treasures of the Study,” its practical use as a noun and a measure word, and provides numerous examples to help you master its usage in modern Chinese.

Pinyin (with tone marks): bǐ

Part of Speech: Noun, Measure Word

HSK Level: HSK 1

Concise Definition: A pen, pencil, or other writing implement; also a measure word for sums of money, deals, or strokes.

In a Nutshell: At its heart, 笔 (bǐ) is the tool you write with. However, its meaning extends far beyond a simple object. In Chinese culture, where writing is an art form, the 笔 represents scholarship and creativity. This dual identity is reflected in its use: it can be a physical object (a pen) or an abstract concept, used to count intangible things like a single financial transaction (“one sum of money”) or the individual strokes that build a character.

The character 笔 is a pictophonetic compound that beautifully illustrates its own origin.

竹 (zhú): The radical on top means “bamboo.” This represents the handle of the traditional Chinese writing brush.

毛 (máo): The character on the bottom means “fur” or “hair.” This represents the tip of the brush, which was historically made from animal hair (like a goat or rabbit).

Together, 竹 and 毛 literally paint a picture of the object they represent: a calligraphy brush with a bamboo handle and a fur tip. This ancient tool is the ancestor of all modern uses of the word 笔.

In China, 笔 (bǐ) is not just a tool; it's a symbol of culture, art, and intellectualism. It is the first of the legendary Four Treasures of the Study (文房四宝, wén fáng sì bǎo), alongside ink (墨 mò), paper (纸 zhǐ), and the inkstone (砚 yàn). For thousands of years, mastery of the brush was essential for scholars, artists, and officials. It was the instrument used to create enduring poetry, magnificent artworks, and critical government documents.

Comparison to Western Culture: In the West, we might admire a high-quality fountain pen, but we generally view it as a functional (and perhaps luxurious) writing instrument. Its value is in its performance or craftsmanship. The traditional Chinese 笔 (毛笔 máobǐ), however, carries the weight of millennia of artistic and scholarly tradition. It's more akin to a painter's finest brush or a musician's cherished violin—a tool that is an extension of the artist's soul. This deep reverence for the act of writing elevates the 笔 from a mere object to a cultural icon.

毛笔 (máobǐ) - Calligraphy brush; the original “pen” from which the character is derived.

铅笔 (qiānbǐ) - Pencil. A specific type of 笔.

笔记本 (bǐjìběn) - Notebook. Literally “pen-record-book.”

笔画 (bǐhuà) - A stroke of a Chinese character.

笔顺 (bǐshùn) - Stroke order; the correct sequence of strokes for writing a character.

文笔 (wénbǐ) - Writing style or literary skill.

一笔勾销 (yī bǐ gōu xiāo) - An idiom meaning “to cancel or write off with a single stroke of the pen.”

笔直 (bǐzhí) - Perfectly straight, as straight as a pen.

文房四宝 (wén fáng sì bǎo) - The Four Treasures of the Study: Brush (笔), Ink (墨), Paper (纸), Inkstone (砚).

代笔 (dàibǐ) - To ghostwrite; to write on behalf of someone else.