信
xìn
Letter
信 (xìn) is the most common and versatile way to say "letter" in Mandarin Chinese, referring to a piece of written correspondence. It's used for physical letters, or sometimes broadly for a message.
What does 信 (xìn) mean?
信 (xìn) means “letter” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “letter / message.”
When to use it
Neutral. This refers to a piece of correspondence. If you mean an alphabet character (like 'A' or 'B'), use 字母 (zìmǔ). For an email, use 电子邮件 (diànzǐ yóujiàn). For a text message, use 短信 (duǎnxìn).
How to pronounce it
Sounds like "sheen" (like the "sh" in "shoe" and "een" in "green"). It's a falling tone, so the pitch drops from high to low.
Other ways to say it
- 电子邮件diànzǐ yóujiànemail (electronic mail)
- 短信duǎnxìntext message (short message)
- 写给家人的信xiěgěi jiārén de xìnfamily letter (more traditional/literary)
Examples
我写了一封信给她。
wǒ xiěle yī fēng xìn gěi tā.
I wrote a letter to her.
你收到我的信了吗？
nǐ shōudào wǒ de xìn le ma?
Did you receive my letter?
他每天都查信箱看有没有信。
tā měitiān dōu chá xìnxiāng kànyǒu méiyǒu xìn.
He checks his mailbox every day to see if there are any new letters.
Pro tip: Remember that 信 (xìn) refers to a written message or correspondence. If you mean an alphabet character (like 'A' or 'B'), the correct term is 字母 (zìmǔ).
Related phrases
字母 · Alphabet无意义字母组合 · Abcd我很好 · Im fine
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