签字笔 (qiān zì bǐ) — felt-tip pen, marker

Definition

noun
felt-tip penmarker
Measure word · 支

Examples

  • 签字笔。
    Wǒ mǎi le yì zhī xīn de qiān zì bǐ.
    I bought a new felt-tip pen.
  • 签字笔。
    Qǐng yòng qiān zì bǐ tián xiě biǎo gé.
    Please fill out the form with a marker.
  • 签字笔。
    Zhè zhī qiān zì bǐ de mò shuǐ yòng wán le.
    The ink in this marker has run out.

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.

签字sign
签qiānsign字zìcharacter
动宾Verb + object
笔bǐpen

A 笔 'pen' used for 签字 'signing characters' is a marker or felt-tip 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 籤; 签 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 签 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (签, 签订) it is 簽; in others it is 籤.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
竹竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
韱
韱xiān籤⁰qiān(r)
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 籤 shows 竹, bamboo, for the material, plus 韱 to give the sound; the simplified 签 is a later shorthand.

Open 签 →

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
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
子
子zǐ字zì
Same sound today

字 pairs 宀 (roof) with 子 (child); 子 gives the sound, while 宀 relates to the meaning.

Open 字 →

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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