感谢信 (gǎn xiè xìn) — thank-you letter; letter of thanks | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

thank-you letterletter of thanks

Measure word · 封

Examples

感谢信。
Tā xiě le yì fēng gǎn xiè xìn gěi lǎo shī.
He wrote a thank-you letter to the teacher.
感谢信。
Gōng sī shōu dào le hěn duō gǎn xiè xìn.
The company received many thank-you letters.
感谢信。
Nǐ zài gǎn xiè xìn lǐ biǎo dá le nǐ de gǎn xiè.
In the thank-you letter, you expressed your gratitude.

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.

感谢thank

感gǎnfeel/gratitude谢xièthank

联合Coordinate

感 and 谢 both carry gratitude, and 信 is the 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.

咸心感

Meaning part形符xíngfú

心心xīnheart

Sound part声符shēngfú

咸

咸xián感gǎn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

感 pairs 咸, which gives the sound, with 心, the heart, for feeling.

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 謝; 谢 is its simplified writing.

言射謝

Meaning part形符xíngfú

言言yánword; speech

Sound part声符shēngfú

射

射shè謝xiè

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 謝 pairs 言 (word; speech) with 射, which gives the sound. The simplified 谢 is a written form of this character.

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.

Appears in

Mail & Messaging Greetings & Politeness

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