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邮件 (yóu jiàn) — email; mail

Definition

邮件 means 'email' — a written message sent over the internet. 信 is the older word covering both physical letters and (less commonly) email; 邮箱 is the email inbox or email address, not the message itself.

noun
emailmail
Measure word · 封

Examples

  • 邮件。
    Wǒ jīn tiān shōu dào le yì fēng yóu jiàn.
    I received an email today.
  • 邮件。
    Qǐng xiě yì fēng yóu jiàn gěi lǎo shī.
    Please write an email to the teacher.
  • 邮件？
    Nǐ kàn le jīn tiān de yóu jiàn ma?
    Did you read today's email?

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.

邮yóumail
件jiànitem

邮 names the mail use, and 件 names the item.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 郵; 邮 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 郵 pairs 垂 (“far, remote”) with 邑 (“city”) to show a relay station; the simplified 邮 is a later shorthand.

Open 邮 →

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

件 is made of 人, 'man', and 牛, 'cow'.

Open 件 →
Appears in
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