xìnfēng: 信封 - Envelope

• 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).

• 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.

• 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.

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.

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 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.

• 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).

• 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.