毛笔(máo bǐ) - Chinese writing brush in Mandarin

毛笔 (máobǐ) is the traditional Chinese writing brush, used for calligraphy and brush painting. 毛 (máo) means "hair, fur" and 笔 (bǐ) means "pen, writing instrument", so it is literally a "hair pen", named for the animal-hair bristles at its tip.

Before the modern pen arrived, 毛笔 (máobǐ) was the only writing tool in China, and it is still taught in art and calligraphy classes today: 用毛笔写字 (yòng máobǐ xiě zì), "to write characters with a brush", and 用毛笔画画 (yòng máobǐ huà huà), "to paint with a brush", are both common in a school setting.

The measure word follows the same pattern as 笔 (bǐ) itself: 一支毛笔 (yì zhī máobǐ), "one writing brush".