寄信 (jì xìn) — to mail a letter | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

寄信 means 'to mail a letter' — a separable verb where 寄 carries the meaning and 信 is the object. Use 寄 alone for 'send/mail (something)' more broadly, including 寄包裹 (parcel) or 汇款.

verb

to mail a letter

Examples

。
Wǒ zuó tiān jì le yì fēng xìn.
I mailed a letter yesterday.
寄信。
Tā měi gè yuè dōu huì jì xìn gěi fù mǔ.
He mails letters to his parents every month.
寄信。
jì xìn Qián yào tiē hǎo yóu piào.
Remember to affix stamps before mailing.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

寄 means send and 信 means letter, giving the act of sending 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.

宀奇寄

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.

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

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