Japanese word

筆

Pronunciation

Romajifude

Meaning

  • nounpaintbrush

Example

この筆で花を描きます。ko no fude de hana o ega ki ma su

I paint flowers with this paintbrush.

Illustration for 筆 (paintbrush)

More examples

この筆は細い線を描くのに向いています。ko no fude wa hoso i sen o ega ku no ni mu i te i ma su

This brush is good for painting fine lines.

Core concept

It is a hand-held tool that transfers paint or ink through a brush tip, connecting painting with writing.

Common phrases

  • 筆で描くfude de ega ku

    paint with a brush

  • 筆を洗うfude o ara u

    wash a brush

  • 筆を持つfude o mo tsu

    hold a brush

Similar words

毛筆mōhitsu: A brush with a soft hair tip used for calligraphy and ink writing.
絵筆efude: A brush shaped for applying paint while making a picture.

Definition in Japanese

柄の先に毛を束ね、絵の具や墨を含ませて絵や文字を書く道具。gara no saki ni ke o taba ne e no gu ya sumi o fuku ma se te e ya moji o ka ku dō gu

Word origin

筆 (fude, "brush") is a native Japanese noun rather than a Sino-Japanese reading, and its older formation is uncertain.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may associate a brush mainly with painting, but 筆 (fude, "brush") also refers to the brush used for writing Japanese characters.

Other meanings

  • writing brushnoun
  • pennoun

Related words

Word lists with this word