Etymology

Generally thought to be derived from Middle Chinese 筆 (MC pˠiɪt̚, “writing brush”). Cognate to Old Uighur [script needed] ‎(biti-, “to write”), Karakhanid [script needed] ‎(biti-, “to write”), Old Anatolian Turkish [script needed] ‎(biti-, “to be destined”). See also Mongolian бичих ‎(bičih, “to write”), a Turkic borrowing.