筆まめ

• Reading: ふでまめ
• Romaji: fudemame
• Kanji breakdown: 筆 (fude/hitsu) — brush, writing; まめ (mame) — diligent, earnest (written in hiragana)
• Pronunciation: /ɸɯ.de.ma.me/

Meaning

Diligent in correspondence; good at writing letters; someone who writes frequently and faithfully to others.

A compound of 筆 (brush/writing) and まめ (diligent/earnest). Functions as a na-adjective or noun. It praises someone who makes consistent effort to keep in touch through written communication — letters, postcards, or in modern usage, messages. Its opposite, 筆不精 (fudebusha), describes someone who is poor or lazy about writing to others.

Examples

1. 祖母は筆まめな人で、遠くに暮らす親族にも必ず季節の便りを送っていた。 His grandmother was a diligent letter-writer and always sent seasonal greetings to relatives living far away.
2. 彼は筆まめで、旅先から必ずはがきを送ってくれるので、家族も安心していた。 He was so faithful in his correspondence that he always sent a postcard from wherever he was travelling, putting the family at ease.
3. 筆まめな友人から丁寧な礼状が届き、改めてその誠実さに感銘を受けた。 A considerate letter of thanks arrived from a friend who was always punctilious about correspondence, and it left a fresh impression of his sincerity.

Usage Guide

Context: correspondence, personal relationships, letter writing, character description

Tone: warm

Origin & History

Combination of 筆 (fude, writing brush) and まめ (mame, diligent/earnest). まめ as a suffix meaning 'conscientious' appears in several compounds such as 働きまめ (hardworking). The image is of someone who diligently picks up the brush.

Cultural Context

Era: Edo–Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: General