附笔 (fù bǐ) — postscript (P.S.); additional note added to a letter or document

Definition

附笔 (fù bǐ) is a short extra note or P.S. tacked onto the end of a letter or document, after the main text is finished.

noun
postscript (P.S.)additional note added to a letter or document

Examples

  • 附笔。
    Tā zài xìn de mò wěi jiā le yí duàn fù bǐ.
    He added a postscript at the end of the letter.
  • 附笔。
    Zhè fèn bào gào de fù bǐ bù fen bǔ chōng le zhòng yào shù jù.
    The postscript section of this report supplements important data.
  • 附笔。
    Xiě fù bǐ shí bié wàng le zhù míng rì qī.
    When writing a postscript, don't forget to note the date.

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.

附fùadditional
笔bǐwriting

附笔 is an added note: 附 (additional) and 笔 (writing) combine to mean a postscript.

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
阝Written in full as阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
付
付fù附fù
Same sound today

附 pairs 阝, written in full as 阜, with 付 as the sound part.

Open 附 →

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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