密信 (mì xìn) — secret letter, confidential letter | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

secret letterconfidential letter

Measure word · 封

Examples

密信。
Tā shōu dào le yì fēng mì xìn.
He received a secret letter.
密信。
Zhè fēng mì xìn de nèi róng fēi cháng zhòng yào.
The content of this secret letter is very important.
密信。
Tā tōu tōu de bǎ mì xìn cáng le qǐ lái.
She secretly hid the confidential 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.

密mìsecret

密 (secret) describes 信 (letter), giving a confidential 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.

宓山密

Meaning part形符xíngfú

山山shānmountain

Sound part声符shēngfú

宓

宓mì密mì

Same sound today

密 pairs 山 (mountain) with 宓 (mì), which gives the pronunciation, to picture something hidden in the mountains, hence secret.

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.

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