fāsòng: 发送 - To Send, Dispatch, Transmit

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• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese verb 发送 (fāsòng), the direct equivalent of hitting “send” on your digital devices. This comprehensive guide covers how to use fāsòng for sending emails, text messages, and files in modern China. Discover the crucial differences between 发送 (fāsòng), 送 (sòng) (to give a gift), and 寄 (jì) (to mail), and understand its cultural significance in China's hyper-digital society. With 10 practical example sentences, this entry will help you master the art of “sending” in Mandarin Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): fāsòng
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: To send, dispatch, or transmit something, especially electronically or through a formal channel.
• In a Nutshell: 发送 (fāsòng) is the word you use when you press the “send” button. Think of it as the action of dispatching information or items from a system. While it can be used for physical goods, its heartland is the digital world: sending an email, a WeChat message, a file, or a signal. It feels more formal and less personal than simply “giving” something to someone.

• 发 (fā): This character means “to send out,” “to issue,” or “to emit.” Picture it as an action that starts from a source and moves outward, like firing an arrow or issuing a command.
• 送 (sòng): This character means “to deliver,” “to send,” or “to see someone off.” The “walk” radical (辶) on the bottom left suggests movement and travel from one point to another.
• The two characters combine to create a strong, clear meaning: 发 (to send out) + 送 (to deliver) = 发送 (to dispatch/send). It emphasizes the complete action of sending something out for delivery, making it perfect for formal systems like the postal service, logistics, and digital networks.

While 发送 (fāsòng) is a functional word, its explosion in common usage is a direct reflection of China's rapid digital transformation. In a country where daily life is deeply integrated with super-apps like WeChat (微信 Wēixìn), the act of 发送 is performed hundreds of times a day by nearly everyone. Unlike the English word “send,” which has always been a common verb, the prominence of 发送 (fāsòng) is relatively new and tied to technology. It symbolizes the shift from a society based on physical interaction to one where digital communication is paramount. The term is less about personal connection (like giving a gift) and more about efficient, instantaneous information transfer. Compare this to the Western concept of “sending a message.” While functionally the same, the cultural weight in China is tied to the platform. Sending a message on WeChat isn't just a private act; it's participating in a massive, integrated ecosystem that handles communication, payments, and official services. Therefore, understanding 发送 (fāsòng) isn't just learning a word; it's acknowledging the digital infrastructure that underpins modern Chinese society.

发送 (fāsòng) is used in several key contexts, primarily distinguished by what is being sent.

This is the primary use case for 发送. It's the verb for sending any form of digital data.

• 发送邮件 (fāsòng yóujiàn): To send an email.
• 发送短信 (fāsòng duǎnxìn): To send a text message (SMS).
• 发送微信 (fāsòng Wēixìn): To send a WeChat message.
• 发送文件 (fāsòng wénjiàn): To send a file.
• The button you click in these apps will almost always be labeled “发送”.

In the context of online shopping (Taobao, JD.com), 发送 is used by the seller or system to mean “dispatch goods.” It's more formal than a customer would typically use.

• 卖家已发送货物。(Màijiā yǐ fāsòng huòwù.) - The seller has dispatched the goods.
• A user is more likely to use the word 发货 (fāhuò), which specifically means “to ship goods.”

In more technical or official situations, 发送 can mean to transmit signals or dispatch people.

• 发送信号 (fāsòng xìnhào): To transmit a signal.
• 发送指令 (fāsòng zhǐlìng): To issue a command/instruction.

• Example 1:
  • 我需要给你发送一个重要的邮件。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xūyào gěi nǐ fāsòng yí ge zhòngyào de yóujiàn.
  • English: I need to send you an important email.
  • Analysis: A very standard and common use of 发送 for digital communication. This is a complete, formal sentence. In casual speech, one might just say 发 (fā).
• Example 2:
  • 你昨天发送的文件我收到了。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ zuótiān fāsòng de wénjiàn wǒ shōudào le.
  • English: I received the file you sent yesterday.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows 发送 being used in the past tense to refer to a completed action. 收到 (shōudào), “to receive,” is the natural opposite of 发送.
• Example 3:
  • 点击“发送”按钮即可。
  • Pinyin: Diǎnjī “fāsòng” ànniǔ jí kě.
  • English: Just click the “send” button.
  • Analysis: This is instructional language, exactly what you would see in an app or on a website. It treats 发送 as the literal name of the function.
• Example 4:
  • 系统提示：消息发送成功。
  • Pinyin: Xìtǒng tíshì: Xiāoxi fāsòng chénggōng.
  • English: System notification: Message sent successfully.
  • Analysis: This is a classic example of the impersonal, system-generated language where 发送 is perfectly at home.
• Example 5:
  • 请问您要发送到哪个地址？
  • Pinyin: Qǐngwèn nín yào fāsòng dào nǎge dìzhǐ?
  • English: Excuse me, which address would you like to send it to?
  • Analysis: This could be used for either an email address or a physical address for a package. The politeness of 请问 (qǐngwèn) and 您 (nín) makes it suitable for customer service.
• Example 6:
  • 他忘了发送会议通知。
  • Pinyin: Tā wàng le fāsòng huìyì tōngzhī.
  • English: He forgot to send the meeting notification.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates using 发送 for broadcasting information to a group.
• Example 7:
  • 这个包裹是什么时候发送的？
  • Pinyin: Zhège bāoguǒ shì shénme shíhou fāsòng de?
  • English: When was this package dispatched?
  • Analysis: Here, 发送 is used for logistics. The focus is on the time of dispatch from the warehouse or post office.
• Example 8:
  • 我们不能向无效的邮箱发送邮件。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen bù néng xiàng wúxiào de yóuxiāng fāsòng yóujiàn.
  • English: We cannot send emails to an invalid email address.
  • Analysis: Shows the negative form 不能发送 (bù néng fāsòng) and the structure 向…发送 (xiàng…fāsòng), meaning “to send to…”.
• Example 9:
  • 空间站正在向地球发送数据。
  • Pinyin: Kōngjiānzhàn zhèngzài xiàng dìqiú fāsòng shùjù.
  • English: The space station is transmitting data to Earth.
  • Analysis: A great example of the technical use of 发送 for transmitting data or signals.
• Example 10:
  • 我已经向你发送了好友请求。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ yǐjīng xiàng nǐ fāsòng le hǎoyǒu shēnqǐng.
  • English: I have already sent you a friend request.
  • Analysis: While casual speech might use 加你 (jiā nǐ), the formal system action is 发送请求 (fāsòng shēnqǐng), “to send a request.”

The most common mistake for learners is using 发送 (fāsòng) in situations where a more personal or specific verb is needed.

• 发送 (fāsòng) vs. 送 (sòng): This is the most important distinction.
  • 发送 (fāsòng): Impersonal dispatch. Use for emails, texts, files, packages from a company.
  • 送 (sòng): Personal delivery or giving. Use for giving a gift, seeing a friend off, or taking someone somewhere.
  • Incorrect: 我发送你一个生日礼物。 (Wǒ fāsòng nǐ yí ge shēngrì lǐwù.) → Wrong. This sounds like you are mailing your friend a gift like a robot.
  • Correct: 我送你一个生日礼物。 (Wǒ sòng nǐ yí ge shēngrì lǐwù.) → Correct. “I'll give you a birthday gift.”
• 发送 (fāsòng) vs. 寄 (jì):
  • 寄 (jì): Specifically means “to send by mail” or “to post.” It emphasizes the action of using the postal service.
  • 发送 (fāsòng): Can be used by the logistics company to mean “dispatch,” but as a person, you 寄 (jì) a letter.
  • Incorrect: 我要去邮局发送一封信。 (Wǒ yào qù yóujú fāsòng yì fēng xìn.) → Awkward.
  • Correct: 我要去邮局寄一封信。 (Wǒ yào qù yóujú jì yì fēng xìn.) → Correct. “I need to go to the post office to mail a letter.”
• 发送 (fāsòng) vs. 发 (fā):
  • In casual, digital contexts, 发 (fā) is often used as a shorthand for 发送 (fāsòng).
  • Example: 发个微信给我。(Fā ge Wēixìn gěi wǒ.) - “Send me a WeChat.”
  • Example: 你发邮件了吗？ (Nǐ fā yóujiàn le ma?) - “Did you send the email?”
  • Using the full 发送 (fāsòng) in these cases is not wrong, just slightly more formal.

• 寄 (jì) - To mail; to send via the postal service. More specific than 发送 for letters and personal packages.
• 送 (sòng) - To give (as a gift); to deliver in person; to see someone off. The personal and physical counterpart to the impersonal 发送.
• 发 (fā) - A common shorthand for 发送 in casual speech, especially for digital messages (e.g., 发微信, 发邮件).
• 收到 (shōudào) - The direct antonym: to receive. If you 发送 something, the other person will hopefully 收到 it.
• 发货 (fāhuò) - To ship goods. The specific verb used in e-commerce and logistics for when a seller sends out an order.
• 传送 (chuánsòng) - To transmit, to transfer. Often used for data transfer, or in fantasy/sci-fi contexts for teleportation. More technical than 发送.
• 邮件 (yóujiàn) - Email. A very common object for the verb 发送.
• 短信 (duǎnxìn) - Text message (SMS). Another common object for 发送.