red-ink brush; cinnabar brush
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesnoun
writing brush dipped in red ink (traditionally cinnabar-based), used for annotations, corrections, and emendations to distinguish from original black text
Historically used by emperors (批红), officials, scholars collating texts (校勘), and teachers correcting homework. The red ink signifies authority, correction, emphasis, or imperial approval.
Lǎo老
shī师
yòng用
zhū朱
bǐ笔
zài在
xué学
shēng生
de的
zuò作
wén文
shàng上
pī批
gǎi改
。
The teacher used a red brush to correct the students' essays.
Gǔ古
dài代
huáng皇
dì帝
yòng用
zhū朱
bǐ笔
pī批
yuè阅
zòu奏
zhé折
。
Ancient emperors used red-ink brushes to review memorials.
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Jiào校
kān勘
gǔ古
jí籍
shí时
，
xué学
zhě者
cháng常
yòng用
zhū朱
bǐ笔
zài在
páng旁
biāo标
zhù注
。
When collating ancient texts, scholars often use red brushes to annotate in the margins.
Zhū朱
bǐ笔
diǎn点
jiào校
shì是
chuán传
tǒng统
de的
dú读
shū书
fāng方
fǎ法
。
Using red ink for punctuation and collation is a traditional scholarly method.