信件 (xìn jiàn) — letter (sent by mail) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

信件 is a written letter sent by mail — more formal than 信, and distinguished from 字母 (alphabet letter) and 启事 (public notice).

noun

letter (sent by mail)

Measure word · 封

Examples

。
Tā zuó tiān jì le yì fēng xìn jiàn.
He sent a letter yesterday.
。
Zhè fēng xìn jiàn shì cóng běi jīng jì lái de.
This letter was sent from Beijing.
信件。
Tā měi tiān dōu huì shōu dào hěn duō xìn jiàn.
She receives many letters every day.

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.

The 信 meaning letter combines with 件 meaning item to refer to a mailed 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

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.

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

人人rénman
牛牛niúcow

件 is made of 人, 'man', and 牛, 'cow'.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Mail & Messaging

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