笔挺 (bǐ tǐng) — (of clothing) well-ironed, crisp; (of posture)…

Definition

An adjective for clothing that is sharply pressed and unwrinkled, or for a posture held very straight and stiff.

adjective

(of clothing) well-ironedcrisp(of posture) very straightramrod-straight

Examples

笔挺。
Tā chuān zhuó yí jiàn bǐ tǐng de chèn shān.
He is wearing a crisp shirt.
笔挺。
Tā zhàn dé bǐ tǐng.
He stands very straight.
笔挺。
Zhè tào xī fú xǐ wán hòu hái shì hěn bǐ tǐng.
This suit is still very crisp after washing.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

笔bǐpen

挺tǐngstraight

笔 (pen) and 挺 (straight) together mean straight like a pen.

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.

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

竹聿筆

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 →

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

手手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

廷

廷tíng挺tǐng

Same sound today

挺 combines 手, a hand, with 廷, which gives its sound.

Open 挺 →

Appears in

Appearance Clothing