执笔 (zhí bǐ) — to do the actual writing (as the main author or drafter)

Definition

Literary verb meaning 'to be the one who actually writes' a document — used when the named drafter differs from the signer or sponsor (e.g. a speech, statement, or report). Far more formal than 写.

verb
to do the actual writing (as the main author or drafter)

Examples

  • 执笔。
    Zhè fèn bào gào yóu zhāng jiào shòu zhí bǐ.
    This report was actually written by Professor Zhang.
  • 。
    Tā céng jīng wèi zhè ge xiàng mù zhí guò bǐ.
    He once did the actual writing for this project.
  • 执笔。
    Lián hé shēng míng yóu shuāng fāng dài biǎo gòng tóng zhí bǐ.
    The joint statement was co-authored by representatives from both sides.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

执zhíhold
笔bǐpen

执 (hold) and 笔 (pen) combine to mean doing the writing.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 執; 执 is its simplified writing.

  • 㚔㚔㚔criminal / handcuffs
  • 丮丮jǐhand

The traditional form 執 shows 㚔, a handcuffed criminal, with 丮, a hand, giving the idea of arrest. The simplified 执 is a later shorthand, so its current parts are not the original pieces.

Open 执 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 筆; 笔 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
竹竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
聿
聿yù筆bǐ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The simplified 笔 is based on the traditional form 筆, which puts 竹 (bamboo) beside 聿 (writing brush). 聿 already meant the brush and supplied the sound; 竹 was added later to show it was made of bamboo.

Open 笔 →

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