<p>油性笔 pen with oil-based ink = 圆珠笔 ballpoint pen</p>

<p>中性笔 gel pen = 签字笔, 啫喱笔</p>

<p>水性笔 pen with water-based ink = rollerball pen</p>

<p>自来水笔（钢笔） fountain pen</p>

<p>——————</p>

<p>中性 (medium-based) means the ink between oil-based ink and water-based ink, i.e. gelled ink.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-09T04:53:55.907Z
2018-10-09T04:59:17.870Z
2018-10-09T04:59:17.870Z
Victor
<p>圆珠笔 simply refers to ball pens. No questions there regardless of the dialect or personal usage preference. </p>

<p>签名笔 could be referring to gel ink pen in common sense. But for artists I highly doubt that. A good possibility is technical pens. I am an architect myself and this is essential for anyone who wants a clean drawing. 
<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technical_pen" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technical_pen</a></p>

<p>水笔 is definitely not water color. It's a formal term for pen. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-01T18:40:35.183Z
2018-10-01T18:40:35.183Z
Vincent  G
<p>I do not know what is 签名笔, i only know about 签字笔, which could be a general term to refer those kind of pen being used to sign, but native speakers may use this word to refer <em>gel ink pen</em>. </p>

<p>水笔 could be used to refer to paintbrushes, but in some dialect it also a name for <em>pen</em>. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-11T09:47:30.607Z
2018-08-11T09:47:30.607Z
xbh
<p>I was casually browsing Chinese artist blog, and the artist states that he/she uses 圆珠笔 签名笔 and 水笔 as medium for art.</p>

<p>I know what a ballpoint pen is. However, I am not sure what kind of pen is 签名笔. Is it a fountain ink pen?</p>

<p>Additionally, I am very confuse about the term 水笔, since I thought it refers to watercolor. However, when I search pictures on internet, only pen pictures appear.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-11T10:12:33.540Z
iciba: 签名笔
    释义

    a felt-tip pen；


bkrs: 水笔 1)（写小字的毛笔） stiff-haired writing brush
2)（画水彩画的笔） water-colour paint brush
30(方) （钢笔） (fountain) pen  签名笔 not a word,  签名 sign, signature, 笔 brush,pen,write etc.
user6065
<word><terminology>
What kind of pen/brush do 水笔 and 签名笔 refer to?
# What kind of pen/brush do 水笔 and 签名笔 refer to?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-08-11)

I was casually browsing Chinese artist blog, and the artist states that he/she uses 圆珠笔 签名笔 and 水笔 as medium for art.

I know what a ballpoint pen is. However, I am not sure what kind of pen is 签名笔. Is it a fountain ink pen?

Additionally, I am very confuse about the term 水笔, since I thought it refers to watercolor. However, when I search pictures on internet, only pen pictures appear.

**Tags:** word, terminology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: iciba: 签名笔     释义      a felt-tip pen；   bkrs: 水笔 1)（写小字的毛笔） stiff-haired writing brush 2)（画水彩画的笔） water-colour paint brush 30(方) （钢笔） (fountain) pen  签名笔 not a word,  签名 sign, signature, 笔 brush,pen,write etc.  

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-10-09. Score: 1

油性笔 pen with oil-based ink = 圆珠笔 ballpoint pen

中性笔 gel pen = 签字笔, 啫喱笔

水性笔 pen with water-based ink = rollerball pen

自来水笔（钢笔） fountain pen

——————

中性 (medium-based) means the ink between oil-based ink and water-based ink, i.e. gelled ink.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2018-10-01. Score: 1

圆珠笔 simply refers to ball pens. No questions there regardless of the dialect or personal usage preference.

签名笔 could be referring to gel ink pen in common sense. But for artists I highly doubt that. A good possibility is technical pens. I am an architect myself and this is essential for anyone who wants a clean drawing.
<https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technical_pen>

水笔 is definitely not water color. It's a formal term for pen.


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### Answer by username_4 on 2018-08-11. Score: 0

I do not know what is 签名笔, i only know about 签字笔, which could be a general term to refer those kind of pen being used to sign, but native speakers may use this word to refer *gel ink pen*.

水笔 could be used to refer to paintbrushes, but in some dialect it also a name for *pen*.


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