TongTong
Sign in

书信 (shū xìn) — letter, written correspondence (formal/literary term)

Definition

A formal or literary word for 'letter' as written correspondence. More literary than the everyday 邮件, and refers to the letter itself rather than email.

noun
letterwritten correspondence (formal/literary term)
Measure word · 封

Examples

  • ，书信。
    Nà ge nián dài, shū xìn shì wéi yī de lián xì fāng shì.
    In those days, letters were the only means of communication.
  • 书信。
    Tā shōu cáng le xǔ duō míng rén de shū xìn.
    He has collected many letters from famous people.
  • 书信，。
    Gǔ rén yòng shū xìn chuán dì xìn xī, sù dù hěn màn.
    Ancient people used letters to convey information, which was very slow.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

书shūletter
信xìnmessage

Both 书 and 信 refer to written messages, so together they name letters or correspondence.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 書; 书 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
聿聿yùwriting brush
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě書shū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 書 uses 聿, a writing brush, and 者 for its sound; the simplified 书 is a later shorthand.

Open 书 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánwords
Sound part声符shēngfú
人
人rén信xìn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

信 pairs 人 as the sound part with 言 (words) as the meaning part.

Open 信 →
Appears in
Mail & MessagingReading & Writing

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.