笔 meaning and stroke order
Writing brush; writing implement (pen, pencil etc) (CL:支[zhi1],枝[zhi1]); brushstroke; stroke (in painting or calligraphy); (bound form) style of writing; literary manner; technique of brushwork
How to write 笔, stroke by stroke
10 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
Meaning of 笔
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- writing brush; writing implement (pen, pencil etc) (CL:支[zhi1],枝[zhi1])
- brushstroke; stroke (in painting or calligraphy)
- (bound form) style of writing; literary manner; technique of brushwork
- (classifier) stroke of a Chinese character
- (classifier) sum of money; financial transaction; piece of business
- (literary) to write (with a brush or pen)
How 笔 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A bamboo rod ⺮ tipped with hair 毛.
Radical: ⺮ (bamboo), shared by 149 characters on this site.
How to remember 笔
A bamboo rod ⺮ on top, hair 毛 below: a stick of bamboo tipped with animal hair is a traditional writing brush. Today the same character covers any pen or pencil.
笔 (bǐ) means any writing tool and appears in words like 铅笔 (qiānbǐ, pencil), 钢笔 (gāngbǐ, fountain pen) and 笔记 (bǐjì, notes). It is also a classifier for sums of money and for strokes of a character. Example: 你有笔吗？(Nǐ yǒu bǐ ma?) Do you have a pen?
Common mistake: Learners often write the bottom as 手 or 毛 with the wrong hook. In 笔 the bottom is 毛, whose last stroke curves right and hooks up. Also, the measure word for a pen is 支 (zhī), not 个 (gè) in careful speech.
Common words with 笔
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 笔记 | bǐjì | to take down (in writing); notes | HSK 2 |
| 笔记本 | bǐjìběn | notebook (stationery) (CL:本[ben3]); (computing) laptop; notebook (abbr. for 筆記本電腦|笔记本电脑[bi | HSK 2 |
| 钢笔 | gāngbǐ | fountain pen | HSK 5 |
| 毛笔 | máobǐ | writing brush | HSK 5 |
| 铅笔 | qiānbǐ | (lead) pencil | HSK 6 |
| 笔试 | bǐshì | written examination; paper test (for an applicant) | HSK 6 |
| 圆珠笔 | yuánzhūbǐ | ballpoint pen | HSK 6 |
| 大笔 | dàbǐ | (formal) (honorific) your writing; your handwriting; pen; calligraphy brush | HSK 7-9 |
| 笔迹 | bǐjì | handwriting | |
| 笔录 | bǐlù | to put down in writing; to take down notes | |
| 笔直 | bǐzhí | perfectly straight; straight as a ramrod | |
| 一笔勾销 | yībǐgōuxiāo | to write off at one stroke | |
| 粉笔 | fěnbǐ | chalk | |
| 蜡笔 | làbǐ | crayon (wax type) |
笔 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 笔
How many strokes are in 笔?
笔 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 笔 mean?
笔 (bǐ) means writing brush; writing implement (pen, pencil etc) (CL:支[zhi1],枝[zhi1]); brushstroke; stroke (in painting or calligraphy); (bound form) style of writing; literary manner; technique of brushwork. A common word with it is 笔记 (bǐjì), meaning "to take down (in writing); notes".
How do you pronounce 笔?
笔 is pronounced bǐ, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 笔?
The radical of 笔 is ⺮, which carries the idea of "bamboo". Dictionaries list 笔 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 笔?
The traditional form of 笔 is 筆. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 笔 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 笔 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 笔 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
How do you use 笔 as a measure word for money?
Say 一笔钱 (yì bǐ qián) for a sum of money, or 一笔生意 (yì bǐ shēngyi) for a business deal. It suggests a specific amount or transaction, often a sizable one.
Does 笔记本 mean notebook or laptop?
Both. 笔记本 (bǐjìběn) is a paper notebook, and it is also short for 笔记本电脑 (bǐjìběn diànnǎo), a laptop computer. Context usually makes the meaning clear.