Chinese word

铅笔

Pronunciation

Pinyinqiān bǐ

Meaning

  • nounpencil

Example

请给我一支铅笔。qǐng gěi wǒ yì zhī qiān bǐ

Please give me a pencil.

Illustration for 铅笔 (pencil)

More examples

他用铅笔在草稿上画图。tā yòng qiān bǐ zài cáo gǎo shàng huà tú

He drew a picture on a draft with a pencil.

Core concept

A handheld tool channels a dark, erasable graphite line onto paper.

Common phrases

  • 一支铅笔yì zhī qiān bǐ

    one pencil

  • 铅笔盒qiān bǐ hé

    pencil case

  • 铅笔芯qiān bǐ xīn

    pencil lead

Similar words

圆珠笔yuán zhū bǐ: A writing tool that transfers ink through a tiny ball that rolls at the tip.
钢笔gāng bǐ: A writing tool that feeds ink through a metal nib for smooth lines on paper.
自动铅笔zì dòng qiān bǐ: A writing tool with thin replaceable lead that advances through its internal mechanism.
彩色铅笔cǎi sè qiān bǐ: A writing and coloring tool that uses a colored core to make lines or fill areas.

Definition in Chinese

一种供手持以在纸上书写或绘画的笔，笔芯多为石墨，计数常用量词「一支」。yì zhǒng gōng shǒu chí yǐ zài zhǐ shàng shū xiě huò huì huà de bǐ bǐ xīn duō wèi shí mò jì shù cháng yòng liàng cí yì zhī

Word origin

铅 (qiān, "lead") + 笔 (bǐ, "writing tool") names the tool after the old belief that its dark core was lead, although modern cores are graphite.

Usage tips

  • Unlike English, Chinese counts a pencil with 支 (zhī, "classifier for slender objects"), a useful pattern for asking for one item in a classroom or shop.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word