笔

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

Quick Summary

  • 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.

Core Meaning

  • 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.

Character Breakdown

  • 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.

Cultural Context and Significance

  • 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.

Practical Usage in Modern China

  • As a Noun (General Writing Tool):
    • 笔 is the default, general term for any pen-like writing implement. To be more specific, other characters are added before it:
      • 铅笔 (qiānbǐ) - Pencil (lit. “lead pen”)
      • 钢笔 (gāngbǐ) - Fountain pen (lit. “steel pen”)
      • 圆珠笔 (yuánzhūbǐ) - Ballpoint pen (lit. “round bead pen”)
    • In conversation, if you ask “Can I borrow a pen?” (可以借我一支笔吗? kěyǐ jiè wǒ yī zhī bǐ ma?), any type of pen or pencil would be an acceptable response.
  • As a Measure Word (for Money, Debts, and Deals):
    • This is a very common and important usage. It quantifies abstract financial or business concepts as single, discrete units.
      • 一笔钱 (yī bǐ qián) - A sum of money
      • 一笔生意 (yī bǐ shēngyì) - A business deal
      • 一笔贷款 (yī bǐ dàikuǎn) - A loan
  • As a Measure Word (for Character Strokes):
    • This is fundamental to learning and discussing Chinese characters.
      • 这个字有八笔。(Zhège zì yǒu bā bǐ.) - This character has eight strokes.
      • 你写错了最后一笔。(Nǐ xiě cuò le zuìhòu yī bǐ.) - You wrote the last stroke incorrectly.

Example Sentences

  • Example 1:
    • 我需要一支笔来写下你的电话号码。
    • Pinyin: Wǒ xūyào yī zhī bǐ lái xiě xià nǐ de diànhuà hàomǎ.
    • English: I need a pen to write down your phone number.
    • Analysis: This is the most basic use of 笔 as a noun. Note the measure word 支 (zhī) used for long, thin objects like pens.
  • Example 2:
    • 他投资了一大笔钱在那个新项目上。
    • Pinyin: Tā tóuzīle yī dà bǐ qián zài nàge xīn xiàngmù shàng.
    • English: He invested a large sum of money in that new project.
    • Analysis: Here, 笔 is used as a measure word for an abstract amount of money. “一大笔” means “a large sum.”
  • Example 3:
    • “人”这个字只有两笔，但是写好很难。
    • Pinyin: “Rén” zhège zì zhǐyǒu liǎng bǐ, dànshì xiě hǎo hěn nán.
    • English: The character “人” (person) only has two strokes, but it's very difficult to write well.
    • Analysis: This shows 笔 used as a measure word for character strokes, a concept essential for Chinese learners.
  • Example 4:
    • 我们公司刚刚完成了一笔大生意。
    • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī gānggāng wánchéngle yī bǐ dà shēngyì.
    • English: Our company just closed a big deal.
    • Analysis: Similar to money, 笔 is used here to quantify a single, complete business transaction.
  • Example 5:
    • 请问，你的铅笔可以借我用一下吗？
    • Pinyin: Qǐngwèn, nǐ de qiānbǐ kěyǐ jiè wǒ yòng yīxià ma?
    • English: Excuse me, could I borrow your pencil for a moment?
    • Analysis: This shows 笔 as the second character in a compound word, 铅笔 (qiānbǐ), specifying the type of writing tool.
  • Example 6:
    • 他的文笔很好，写的小说很受欢迎。
    • Pinyin: Tā de wénbǐ hěn hǎo, xiě de xiǎoshuō hěn shòu huānyíng.
    • English: His writing style is very good; the novels he writes are very popular.
    • Analysis: Here, 笔 is used more abstractly in the word 文笔 (wénbǐ) to mean “writing style” or “prose,” literally “literary pen.”
  • Example 7:
    • 这幅画的每一笔都充满了力量。
    • Pinyin: Zhè fú huà de měi yī bǐ dōu chōngmǎnle lìliàng.
    • English: Every stroke of this painting is full of power.
    • Analysis: This demonstrates 笔 being used to refer to the brushstrokes in a painting or calligraphy piece, connecting it to its artistic roots.
  • Example 8:
    • 这笔账我们以后再算。
    • Pinyin: Zhè bǐ zhàng wǒmen yǐhòu zài suàn.
    • English: We'll settle this score (lit: this sum of debt) later.
    • Analysis: A common metaphorical use. “一笔账” is a debt or a score to be settled. 笔 acts as the measure word for this intangible “account.”
  • Example 9:
    • 写汉字的时候，笔顺很重要。
    • Pinyin: Xiě Hànzì de shíhòu, bǐshùn hěn zhòngyào.
    • English: When writing Chinese characters, stroke order is very important.
    • Analysis: 笔 is the first character in the essential term 笔顺 (bǐshùn), or stroke order.
  • Example 10:
    • 他用红色的笔在合同上签了名。
    • Pinyin: Tā yòng hóngsè de bǐ zài hétóng shàng qiānle míng.
    • English: He used a red pen to sign the contract.
    • Analysis: A straightforward example showing how 笔 can be described by an adjective (red).

Nuances and Common Mistakes

  • Mistake 1: Confusing the object with its measure word.
    • A very common beginner mistake is to say “我买一个笔” (wǒ mǎi yī gè bǐ). While understandable, the correct measure word for pens and pencils is 支 (zhī).
    • Incorrect: 我有一个笔。 (Wǒ yǒu yī gè bǐ.)
    • Correct: 我有一支笔。 (Wǒ yǒu yī zhī bǐ.)
    • Remember: 笔 is the *name* of the object; 支 is the *counter* for it.
  • Mistake 2: Overusing 笔 as a measure word.
    • 笔 is only a measure word for specific abstract concepts like money, deals, and strokes. You cannot use it for countable physical objects.
    • Incorrect: 我吃了一笔米饭。 (Wǒ chīle yī bǐ mǐfàn.) - “I ate a sum of rice.”
    • Correct: 我吃了一碗米饭。 (Wǒ chīle yī wǎn mǐfàn.) - “I ate a bowl of rice.”
  • False Friend: “A Sum” vs. “A Bit”
    • Don't confuse 一笔钱 (yī bǐ qián) with the English phrase “a bit of money.” “A bit of money” implies a small or insignificant amount. 一笔钱 refers to a single, specific transaction or amount, which could be enormous. It emphasizes the singularity of the transaction, not its size.

Related Terms and Concepts

  • 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.