jì xìn: 寄信 - To Mail a Letter, To Send a Letter

• Keywords: jixin, 寄信, how to mail a letter in Chinese, send a letter Chinese, Chinese for post a letter, 寄信 vs 发邮件, jì xìn meaning, Chinese post office vocabulary, write a letter in Chinese, HSK3 vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn how to say “to mail a letter” in Chinese with the essential term 寄信 (jì xìn). This guide breaks down the characters, explains its cultural significance in a digital world, and provides practical examples for using the post office in China. Discover the crucial difference between sending physical mail (寄信) and sending an email (发邮件) to avoid common mistakes and sound like a native speaker.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jì xìn
• Part of Speech: Verb-Object Phrase
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: To mail a letter; to send a letter via the postal service.
• In a Nutshell: `寄信 (jì xìn)` is a straightforward and essential phrase for a common task. It's a compound of two characters: `寄 (jì)`, meaning to send or entrust, and `信 (xìn)`, meaning letter. Together, they literally mean “to send a letter.” It specifically refers to the physical act of using a postal system, like a post office or a mailbox, and is distinct from sending digital messages.

• 寄 (jì): This character means “to send,” “to mail,” or “to entrust.” It's composed of `宀` (mián), the “roof” radical, over `奇` (qí), which means “strange” but here primarily serves a phonetic purpose. You can think of it as entrusting something under a roof (like a post office) to be sent away.
• 信 (xìn): This character means “letter,” “message,” or “trust.” It's a combination of `人` (rén), meaning person, and `言` (yán), meaning word or speech. The image is of a person's words, which must be trustworthy. This concept of trust extended to mean the physical message itself—a letter.

When combined, 寄信 (jì xìn) logically forms the action of “sending a letter.”

In an age of instant messaging and email, the act of 寄信 (jì xìn) has taken on a nostalgic and formal significance in China, much like in the West. However, the connection to calligraphy and the personal effort of writing Chinese characters by hand adds a unique layer of sentimentality. For older generations, `寄信` was the primary means of long-distance communication. It was the lifeline connecting family members separated by work or study, and letters often carried immense emotional weight. The phrase evokes feelings of anticipation, patience, and deep personal connection. In modern China, while you're more likely to `发微信 (fā wēixìn - send a WeChat message)`, receiving a handwritten letter (`手写信 - shǒuxiě de xìn`) is considered a very special, heartfelt gesture. It signifies that the sender invested significant time and thought. Therefore, while the frequency of `寄信` for personal communication has decreased, its perceived value has arguably increased.

Today, `寄信` is most commonly used in a literal, practical sense for official or logistical purposes rather than personal chats.

• Official Documents: You would `寄信` to mail a contract, an application, or other formal documents.
• Postcards and Packages: The verb `寄 (jì)` is used for more than just letters. You can `寄明信片 (jì míngxìnpiàn)` to mail a postcard or `寄包裹 (jì bāoguǒ)` to mail a package.
• Post Office Interactions: This is the key verb you'll use when speaking with a clerk at a `邮局 (yóujú - post office)`.

The term is neutral in connotation and is used in both formal and informal contexts whenever referring to the postal service.

• Example 1:
  • 我要去邮局寄信。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ yào qù yóujú jì xìn.
  • English: I need to go to the post office to mail a letter.
  • Analysis: A classic, straightforward sentence showing intent. This is a very common and useful phrase for learners.
• Example 2:
  • 你昨天寄信了吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ zuótiān jì xìn le ma?
  • English: Did you mail the letter yesterday?
  • Analysis: This example uses the past tense marker `了 (le)` and the question particle `吗 (ma)` to form a simple question about a completed action.
• Example 3:
  • 我想给我在北京的朋友寄一封信。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xiǎng gěi wǒ zài Běijīng de péngyou jì yī fēng xìn.
  • English: I want to mail a letter to my friend in Beijing.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates how the verb-object phrase `寄信` can be split. Here, a measure word `封 (fēng)` and number `一 (yī)` are inserted to specify “one letter.” This is very natural phrasing.
• Example 4:
  • 寄信到美国需要多长时间？
  • Pinyin: Jì xìn dào Měiguó xūyào duō cháng shíjiān?
  • English: How long does it take to mail a letter to the United States?
  • Analysis: This shows `寄信` used as the subject of a question, a common pattern when asking about the logistics of an action.
• Example 5:
  • 除了寄信，你还可以寄包裹。
  • Pinyin: Chúle jì xìn, nǐ hái kěyǐ jì bāoguǒ.
  • English: Besides mailing letters, you can also mail packages.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses the versatile verb `寄 (jì)` with another object, `包裹 (bāoguǒ)`, to show its broader application for mailing things in general.
• Example 6:
  • 在数字时代，很少有人寄信了。
  • Pinyin: Zài shùzì shídài, hěn shǎo yǒu rén jì xìn le.
  • English: In the digital age, very few people mail letters anymore.
  • Analysis: This sentence provides cultural context, commenting on the changing frequency of this action in modern society.
• Example 7:
  • 请问，最近的邮筒在哪里？我想寄信。
  • Pinyin: Qǐngwèn, zuìjìn de yóutǒng zài nǎlǐ? Wǒ xiǎng jì xìn.
  • English: Excuse me, where is the nearest mailbox? I want to mail a letter.
  • Analysis: A practical two-part sentence you might use on the street. It connects the action `寄信` with a related vocabulary word, `邮筒 (yóutǒng - mailbox)`.
• Example 8:
  • 她花了一个下午写信，然后小心地把信寄了出去。
  • Pinyin: Tā huāle yī ge xiàwǔ xiě xìn, ránhòu xiǎoxīn de bǎ xìn jì le chūqù.
  • English: She spent an afternoon writing the letter, and then carefully mailed it out.
  • Analysis: This example uses the `把 (bǎ)` construction, which emphasizes the disposal of the object (`信`). The `寄了出去 (jì le chūqù)` part emphasizes the action of “sending it out.”
• Example 9:
  • 你需要买一张邮票才能寄信。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ xūyào mǎi yī zhāng yóupiào cáinéng jì xìn.
  • English: You need to buy a stamp before you can mail the letter.
  • Analysis: This practical sentence links the action of `寄信` with a necessary prerequisite, buying a `邮票 (yóupiào - stamp)`.
• Example 10:
  • 他每个月都会给父母寄信报平安。
  • Pinyin: Tā měi ge yuè dōu huì gěi fùmǔ jì xìn bào píng'ān.
  • English: Every month, he mails a letter to his parents to let them know he's safe.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights a traditional use of letter writing—`报平安 (bào píng'ān)`, which means “to report that all is well,” a very important cultural concept.

The most significant point of confusion for English speakers is the difference between physical mail and electronic mail.

• False Friends: 寄 (jì) vs. 发 (fā)
  • 寄 (jì) is used for the physical postal system. Use it for letters, postcards, and packages.
  • 发 (fā), meaning “to send” or “to issue,” is used for electronic transmissions.
• Incorrect Usage Example:
  • `我给你寄了一个邮件。` (Wǒ gěi nǐ jì le yí ge yóujiàn.)
  • Why it's wrong: This sentence mixes the physical verb `寄` with the electronic noun `邮件 (yóujiàn - email)`. It sounds as strange as saying “I posted you an email” in English.
  • Correct Version (for email): `我给你发了一个邮件。` (Wǒ gěi nǐ fā le yí ge yóujiàn.)
  • Correct Version (for a physical letter): `我给你寄了一封信。` (Wǒ gěi nǐ jì le yī fēng xìn.)
• Splitting the Phrase: Remember that `寄信` is a verb-object phrase. This means you can (and often should) insert more information between `寄` and `信`, such as a number and measure word.
  • `寄信` (Mail a letter - general action)
  • `寄一封信` (Mail one letter - specific)
  • `寄这封信` (Mail this letter - specific)

• 收信 (shōu xìn) - To receive a letter. The direct opposite of `寄信`.
• 写信 (xiě xìn) - To write a letter. The action performed before `寄信`.
• 邮局 (yóujú) - Post office. The place where you `寄信`.
• 信封 (xìnfēng) - Envelope. The container for the `信`.
• 邮票 (yóupiào) - Postage stamp. You must put this on the `信封` to `寄信`.
• 地址 (dìzhǐ) - Address. The information needed to `寄信` successfully.
• 包裹 (bāoguǒ) - Parcel, package. Something else you can `寄` besides a letter.
• 明信片 (míngxìnpiàn) - Postcard. A common item to `寄` while traveling.
• 发邮件 (fā yóujiàn) - To send an email. The modern, digital equivalent of `寄信`.
• 快递 (kuàidì) - Express delivery, courier. A faster, often commercial, way to `寄` things.