持橐簪笔

持橐簪筆
chítuózānbǐ
to serve as a counselor (idiom)

CEDICT

古代帝王大臣有侍从之吏，手提书囊，插笔于头，以备随时谘询或记事。语本《汉书．卷六九．赵充国传》：「车骑将军张安世始尝不快上，上欲诛之。卬家将军以为安世本持橐簪笔，事孝武帝数十年见谓忠谨，宜全度之。」也作「橐笔」。

重編國語辭典

古代帝王大臣的侍从之吏

維基詞典

Entry Composition

1 持 chí
  1. to hold
  2. to grasp
  3. to support
  4. to maintain
  5. to persevere
  6. to manage
  7. to run (i.e. administer)
  8. to control
2 橐 tuó
  1. sack
  2. tube open at both ends
  3. (onom.) footsteps
=3 簪 zān hairpin
=3 簪 zān old variant of 簪 zān
4 笔 bǐ
  1. brushstroke; stroke (in painting or calligraphy)
  2. (bound form) style of writing; literary manner; technique of brushwork
  3. (classifier) stroke of a Chinese character
  4. (classifier) sum of money; financial transaction; piece of business
  5. (literary) to write (with a brush or pen)

classifiers: 支, 枝