寄信人 (jì xìn rén) — sender (of a letter)

Definition

noun
sender (of a letter)

Examples

  • 寄信人。
    Qǐng bǎ jì xìn rén de dì zhǐ xiě qīng chǔ.
    Please write the sender's address clearly.
  • 寄信人。
    jì xìn rén Zài xìn fēng shàng tiē le yóu piào.
    The sender put a stamp on the envelope.
  • 寄信人？
    Zhè fēng xìn de jì xìn rén shì shuí?
    Who is the sender of this letter?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

寄信send a letter
寄jìsend信xìnletter
动宾Verb + object
人rénperson

“寄” send, “信” letter, “人” person; a person who sends a letter.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀miánhouse
Sound part声符shēngfú
奇
奇qí寄jì
Same sound today

The 宀 part shows a roof, and 奇 gives the sound. Together they point to staying or lodging away from home.

Open 寄 →

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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 人 shows a side view of a standing person, with an arm and a leg.

Open 人 →

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