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Chinese/Dictionary entry

意存笔先，画尽意在

yì cún bǐ xiān , huà jìn yì zàidictionary entry
DEFINITION CC-CEDICT
the idea is present before the first stroke of the brush, when the last stroke is placed the idea shines through
Sources & editorial notes

Reference definitions: CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source release 2026-10-27T01:55:52Z. Imported 2026-10-27. Definition wording and meaning order are retained. Recognized pronunciation references are displayed with tone marks; the original source record is available below.

Source record: cd-0130391a99299133. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

意存筆先，畫盡意在 意存笔先，画尽意在 [yi4 cun2 bi3 xian1 , hua4 jin4 yi4 zai4] /the idea is present before the first stroke of the brush, when the last stroke is placed the idea shines through/

Reference definitions and teaching material have separate provenance.

Reference information

The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.

Character information

View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.

Other forms in these source records: 意存筆先，畫盡意在

  • 意
    yì

    (bound form) idea / thought / meaning / sense / (bound form) intention / feeling / inclination / state of mind / (bound form) Italy (abbr. for 意大利[Yì dà lì])

  • 存
    cún

    to exist / to deposit / to store / to keep / to survive

  • 笔
    bǐ

    writing brush / writing implement (pen, pencil etc) (CL:支[zhī],枝[zhī]) / brushstroke / stroke (in painting or calligraphy) / (bound form) style of writing / literary manner / technique of brushwork / (classifier) stroke of a Chinese character / (classifier) sum of money / financial transaction / piece of business / (literary) to write (with a brush or pen)

  • 先
    xiān

    beforehand / first / earlier / at first / originally / for the time being / for now / (prefix) my late (in referring to deceased relatives older than oneself)

  • 画
    huà

    to draw / to paint / picture / painting (CL:幅[fú],張|张[zhāng]) / to draw (a line) (variant of 劃|划[huà]) / stroke of a Chinese character (variant of 劃|划[huà]) / (calligraphy) horizontal stroke (variant of 劃|划[huà])

  • 尽
    jǐn

    to the greatest extent / (when used before a noun of location) furthest or extreme / to be within the limits of / to give priority to

    jìn

    to use up / to exhaust / to end / to finish / to the utmost / exhausted / finished / to the limit (of sth) / all / entirely

  • 意
    yì

    (bound form) idea / thought / meaning / sense / (bound form) intention / feeling / inclination / state of mind / (bound form) Italy (abbr. for 意大利[Yì dà lì])

  • 在
    zài

    to exist / to be alive / (of sb or sth) to be (located) at / (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress)

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.