信封

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信封 [2025/08/13 10:55] – created xiaoer信封 [Unknown date] (current) – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1
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-====== xìnfēng: 信封 - Envelope ====== +
-===== Quick Summary ===== +
-  * **Keywords:** xinfeng, 信封, Chinese envelope, mail in China, what is xinfeng, how to write a letter in Chinese, xinfeng meaning, Chinese for envelope, letter vs envelope in Chinese +
-  * **Summary:** The Chinese word **信封 (xìnfēng)** literally translates to "envelope." It's a fundamental vocabulary word for anyone dealing with physical mail in China. Composed of the characters for "letter" (信) and "to seal" (封), it's a logical and easy-to-remember term. This page will guide you through its meaning, cultural significance (including how to address a Chinese envelope), and how it differs from the famous red envelope, or 红包 (hóngbāo). +
-===== Core Meaning ===== +
-  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** xìnfēng +
-  * **Part of Speech:** Noun +
-  * **HSK Level:** HSK 3 +
-  * **Concise Definition:** A paper container or wrapper for a letter. +
-  * **In a Nutshell:** **信封 (xìnfēng)** is the standard, everyday word for an envelope. Think of it as the paper sleeve you put a letter into before you mail it. The word itself is a perfect example of how Chinese combines simple concepts: **信 (xìn)** means "letter" and **封 (fēng)** means "to seal" or "a cover." So, a 信封 is literally a "letter-cover." It's a purely functional and neutral term. +
-===== Character Breakdown ===== +
-  * **信 (xìn):** This character's primary meaning in this context is **"letter"** or "message." It's formed by 人 (rén - person) and 言 (yán - word). The combination suggests a "person's words," which can be a message or, by extension, something that inspires trust or faith (another meaning of 信). +
-  * **封 (fēng):** This character means **"to seal," "to close,"** or "a cover." It depicts sealing something officially, like a territory or a document. +
-  * **How they combine:** The two characters form a simple and descriptive compound noun: 信 (letter) + 封 (cover) = 信封 (envelope). It's the cover for your letter. +
-===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== +
-While a **信封 (xìnfēng)** is a simple object, its use reveals important cultural practices, especially when compared to its famous cousin, the **红包 (hóngbāo)**. +
-  *   **Standard Envelope (信封):** A plain 信封 is for business, official correspondence, or personal letters. The key cultural difference lies in **how you address it**. In the West, the sender's address is in the top-left corner and the recipient's is in the center. In China, the format is often reversed in terms of priority: +
-    *   **Recipient's address** is written first, in the main central area, and is often written in larger characters. +
-    *   **Recipient's name** follows the address. +
-    *   **Sender's address and name** are written in the bottom-left corner, often in smaller characters. +
-    *   The **postal code** goes in designated red boxes, typically at the top-left for the recipient and bottom-right for the sender. +
-  *   **Comparison to the Red Envelope (红包 hóngbāo):** +
-    A **红包 (hóngbāo)**, or red envelope, is the most culturally significant type of envelope in the Chinese-speaking world. While technically a type of 信封, it's never referred to as such. A 信封 is for information; a 红包 is for celebration, luck, and relationships. You use a plain 信封 to send a bill or an application. You use a 红包 to give gift money for Chinese New Year, weddings, or birthdays. Confusing the two would be like using a plain office envelope for a birthday card—functionally possible, but culturally inappropriate. +
-===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== +
-In an age of digital communication, the use of physical **信封 (xìnfēng)** has declined, but it remains important in several areas: +
-  *   **Official Correspondence:** Government documents, university acceptance letters, legal notices, and bank statements are still sent in standard 信封. +
-  *   **Business:** Formal invoices, contracts, and company announcements are often mailed in company-branded 信封. +
-  *   **Formal Invitations:** High-end wedding or event invitations are typically sent in decorative, but not red, 信封. +
-  *   **Digital World:** Unlike the English "envelope" icon for email, the word **信封** is rarely used in a digital context. Chinese apps and websites typically use an icon of a letter, a paper airplane, or the character **邮 (yóu)**, meaning "mail." +
-The term is neutral and has no special connotations of formality. The formality is conveyed by the context and the letter inside, not the word **信封** itself. +
-===== Example Sentences ===== +
-  * **Example 1:** +
-    * 我去邮局买几个**信封**和一些邮票。 +
-    * Pinyin: Wǒ qù yóujú mǎi jǐ ge **xìnfēng** hé yìxiē yóupiào. +
-    * English: I'm going to the post office to buy a few envelopes and some stamps. +
-    * Analysis: A simple, practical sentence demonstrating the most common use case for the word. +
-  * **Example 2:** +
-    * 请把这封信放进**信封**里。 +
-    * Pinyin: Qǐng bǎ zhè fēng xìn fàngjìn **xìnfēng** lǐ. +
-    * English: Please put this letter inside the envelope. +
-    * Analysis: This sentence uses the 把 (bǎ) structure to talk about handling an object. It also clearly distinguishes between the letter (信) and the envelope (信封). +
-  * **Example 3:** +
-    * 你需要在**信封**的正面写上收信人的地址。 +
-    * Pinyin: Nǐ xūyào zài **xìnfēng** de zhèngmiàn xiěshàng shōuxìnrén de dìzhǐ. +
-    * English: You need to write the recipient's address on the front of the envelope. +
-    * Analysis: This sentence provides a practical instruction, using vocabulary related to mailing. +
-  * **Example 4:** +
-    * 她小心地撕开了那个神秘的**信封**。 +
-    * Pinyin: Tā xiǎoxīn de sīkāi le nàge shénmì de **xìnfēng**. +
-    * English: She carefully tore open that mysterious envelope. +
-    * Analysis: This shows how **信封** can be used in a narrative or descriptive context. +
-  * **Example 5:** +
-    * 这个**信封**太小了，我的文件放不进去。 +
-    * Pinyin: Zhège **xìnfēng** tài xiǎo le, wǒ de wénjiàn fàngbujìnqù. +
-    * English: This envelope is too small, my documents won't fit inside. +
-    * Analysis: A common problem-solving sentence. It uses a resultative complement (放不进去 - fàngbujìnqù) to mean "can't fit inside." +
-  * **Example 6:** +
-    * 公司的所有账单都用带有标志的**信封**寄出。 +
-    * Pinyin: Gōngsī de suǒyǒu zhàngdān dōu yòng dài yǒu biāozhì de **xìnfēng** jìchū. +
-    * English: All of the company's bills are sent out in envelopes with the logo on them. +
-    * Analysis: This sentence illustrates a business context for using **信封**. +
-  * **Example 7:** +
-    * 收到大学录取通知书的时候，那个大**信封**感觉很重。 +
-    * Pinyin: Shōudào dàxué lùqǔ tōngzhīshū de shíhou, nàge dà **xìnfēng** gǎnjué hěn zhòng. +
-    * English: When I received my university acceptance letter, that big envelope felt very heavy. +
-    * Analysis: This connects **信封** to a significant life event, showing its role in delivering important news. +
-  * **Example 8:** +
-    * 你能帮我粘一下这个**信封**的封口吗？ +
-    * Pinyin: Nǐ néng bāng wǒ zhān yíxià zhège **xìnfēng** de fēngkǒu ma? +
-    * English: Can you help me seal this envelope? (Literally: ...help me stick the seal-mouth of this envelope?) +
-    * Analysis: This sentence introduces a related word, 封口 (fēngkǒu), meaning the seal or flap of an envelope. +
-  * **Example 9:** +
-    * 这不是红包，只是一个装便条的普通**信封**。 +
-    * Pinyin: Zhè búshì hóngbāo, zhǐshì yí ge zhuāng biàntiáo de pǔtōng **xìnfēng**. +
-    * English: This isn't a red envelope, it's just a regular envelope for a note. +
-    * Analysis: This sentence directly addresses the common point of confusion between a 红包 and a standard **信封**. +
-  * **Example 10:** +
-    * **信封**上没有写寄信人的地址，所以我不知道是谁寄的。 +
-    * Pinyin: **Xìnfēng** shàng méiyǒu xiě jìxìnrén de dìzhǐ, suǒyǐ wǒ bù zhīdào shì shéi jì de. +
-    * English: The sender's address wasn't written on the envelope, so I don't know who sent it. +
-    * Analysis: This example highlights the importance of the information written on a **信封**. +
-===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== +
-  *   **信封 (xìnfēng) vs. 红包 (hóngbāo):** This is the biggest pitfall. A **信封** is a general-purpose envelope for mail. A **红包** is a specific red envelope for giving money as a gift. While a 红包 is technically a type of 信封, you would never use the word **信封** to refer to it in a cultural context. Call a red envelope a **红包**. +
-    *   **Correct:** 春节的时候，长辈会给孩子**红包**。(During Spring Festival, elders give children red envelopes.) +
-    *   **Incorrect:** 春节的时候，长辈会给孩子**信封**。 (This sounds like they are giving them empty office envelopes.) +
-  *   **信 (xìn) vs. 信封 (xìnfēng):** Beginners often confuse the letter with its container. **信 (xìn)** is the letter/message itself. **信封 (xìnfēng)** is the paper sleeve it goes into. +
-    *   **Correct:** 我写完**信** (letter) 了，现在要把它放进**信封** (envelope) 里。 +
-    *   **Incorrect:** 我写完**信封**了... (This would mean "I finished writing the envelope," which is strange unless you are just addressing it). +
-===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== +
-  * [[红包]] (hóngbāo) - The culturally significant red envelope used for giving money. +
-  * [[信]] (xìn) - The letter or message that is placed inside a **信封**. +
-  * [[邮票]] (yóupiào) - Postage stamp; you stick this on the **信封** to mail it. +
-  * [[邮局]] (yóujú) - Post office; the place you go to buy a **信封** and mail a letter. +
-  * [[地址]] (dìzhǐ) - Address; the information you write on the **信封**. +
-  * [[寄信]] (jì xìn) - The verb "to mail a letter." +
-  * [[收信人]] (shōuxìnrén) - Recipient; the person receiving the letter in the **信封**. +
-  * [[寄信人]] (jìxìnrén) - Sender; the person sending the letter. +
-  * [[邮筒]] (yóutǒng) - Mailbox / Postbox; where you drop the **信封** to be mailed. +
-  * [[明信片]] (míngxìnpiàn) - Postcard; another type of mail that does not require a **信封**.+