noun
writing brush
Literary or poetic term for a brush used in calligraphy or writing. Not an everyday word; 筆 (ふで) is the common modern term.
水茎の跡も美しいかなの手紙だった。
It was a kana letter with beautiful brushwork.
noun
Elevated, literary term for written characters or handwriting, often with an aesthetic connotation. Rare in modern speech.
古い巻物に残る水茎を読み解く。
Decipher the handwriting left on the old scroll.
Compound of 水 (みず, water) and 茎 (くき, stalk), possibly referring to the reed-like shape of a brush or the flow of ink. The exact origin is uncertain.