挂号信 (guà hào xìn) — registered letter; registered mail

Definition

noun
registered letterregistered mail
Measure word · 封

Examples

  • 挂号信。
    Wǒ yào jì yì fēng guà hào xìn dào běi jīng.
    I need to send a registered letter to Beijing.
  • 挂号信，。
    guà hào xìn Bǐ pǔ tōng xìn jiàn gèng ān quán, dàn yóu fèi yě gèng gāo.
    Registered mail is safer than regular letters, but the postage is also higher.
  • 挂号信。
    Tā zuó tiān shōu dào le wǒ jì de guà hào xìn.
    He received the registered letter I sent yesterday.

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.

挂号register
挂guàhang号hàonumber
动宾Verb + object
信xìnletter

“挂” hang and “号” number mark a “信” letter as registered.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 掛; 挂 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺘Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
卦
卦guà掛guà
Same sound today

In the traditional form 掛, the hand part ⺘ and the sound part 卦 show hooking or hanging something with the hand; this form was originally a popular form of 挂.

Open 挂 →

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

  • 口口kǒumouth
  • 丂丂kǎoexhaled air; a tiger's cry

The shape 号 comes from 口, a mouth, and 丂, exhaled air or a tiger's cry.

Open 号 →

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

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