神来之笔 (shén lái zhī bǐ) — a stroke of genius; an inspired work

Definition

A set phrase praising a single inspired stroke — a brilliant line, touch, or idea within a larger work. 笔 literally means 'brush stroke,' so it points to writing or art, not the whole piece.

noun
a stroke of geniusan inspired work

Examples

  • ，神来之笔。
    Tā zuì hòu jiā shàng de yí jù, jiǎn zhí shì shén lái zhī bǐ.
    The sentence he added at the end was nothing short of a stroke of genius.
  • ，神来之笔，。
    Zhè fú huà zhōng de nà piàn yún cai, zhēn shì shén lái zhī bǐ, ràng zhěng fú huà huó le qǐ lái.
    That patch of cloud in this painting is truly an inspired touch that brings the whole painting to life.
  • ，神来之笔。
    Tā de fāng àn suī rán jiǎn dān, dàn qí zhōng yùn hán de chuàng yì kān chēng shén lái zhī bǐ.
    His plan, though simple, contains a creative idea that can be called a stroke of genius.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
示示shìgod; deity
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn神shén
Same sound today

The older form 申 drew lightning, which the ancients regarded as divine; 神 adds 示 (god/deity) to mark that meaning.

Open 神 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 來; 来 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 來 shows a wheat plant: a central ear, upward leaves, and downward stem and roots. The simplified 来 is a later shorthand.

Open 来 →

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

The shape pairs 止, a foot, with 一, a beginning place, and means to go.

Open 之 →

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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