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笔记 (bǐ jì) — notes (written record)

Definition

笔记 (bǐjì) means the notes themselves — what you write down. 笔记本 is the physical notebook or laptop, and 记录 is the act of recording or a formal written account.

noun
notes (written record)
Measure word · 本

Examples

  • 笔记。
    Wǒ shàng kè shí zuò le hěn duō bǐ jì.
    I took a lot of notes during class.
  • 笔记？
    Nǐ de bǐ jì kě yǐ jiè gěi wǒ kàn kàn ma?
    Can you lend me your notes for a look?
  • 笔记。
    Zhè běn bǐ jì shì zhōng wén kè de.
    This notebook is for Chinese class.

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 or writing
记jìrecord

笔 means pen or writing, 记 means to record; together they mean a written record or notes.

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.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 記; 记 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánspeech; words
Sound part声符shēngfú
己
己jǐ記jì
Same sound today

The traditional form 記 pairs 言 (speech; words) with 己 as a sound part; the simplified 记 is a later shorthand, so its right side is not the historical component.

Open 记 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 3Classroom & StudyReading & Writing

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