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介绍信 (jiè shào xìn) — letter of introduction; reference letter

Definition

noun
letter of introductionreference letter
Measure word · 封

Examples

  • 介绍信。
    Tā gěi wǒ xiě le yì fēng jiè shào xìn.
    He wrote me a letter of introduction.
  • 介绍信。
    Méi yǒu jiè shào xìn jiù bù néng jìn qù.
    Without a letter of introduction, you can't go in.
  • 介绍信。
    Qǐng dài shàng nǐ de jiè shào xìn lái miàn shì.
    Please bring your letter of introduction to the interview.

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.

介绍introduce
介jièintroduce绍shàointroduce
联合Coordinate
信xìnletter

介 and 绍 both convey introducing, and 信 is the letter carrying that introduction.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

介 shows a central human form with two marks around it, indicating being between.

Open 介 →

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 紹; 绍 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
召
召zhào紹shào
Same sound today

The traditional form 紹 pairs 糸 with 召: 糸 is the meaning part, and 召 is the sound part. This explanation is about 紹, not the simplified 绍.

Open 绍 →

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 & Messaging

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