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-5739df7b33186852. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.
Original source entry:
刀筆 刀笔 [dao1 bi3] /writing up of official or judicial documents/pettifoggery/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: 刀筆
knife / blade / single-edged sword / cutlass (CL:把[]) / (slang) (loanword) dollar / classifier for sets of one hundred sheets (of paper) / classifier for knife cuts or stabs / (Internet slang) to bargain / to ask for a small discount (esp. on second-hand marketplaces) / (Internet slang) to knife (sb) (often used hyperbolically, as in 想刀他[] "I could kill him!")
writing brush / writing implement (pen, pencil etc) (CL:支[],枝[]) / 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)
Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.