diànzǐ yóujiàn: 电子邮件 - Email

• Keywords: 电子邮件, dianzi youjian, Chinese for email, how to say email in Chinese, send an email in Chinese, 邮件, yóujiàn, electronic mail, Chinese business communication.
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word for email, 电子邮件 (diànzǐ yóujiàn). This page breaks down its literal meaning (“electronic mail-item”), explains its crucial role in modern Chinese business, and contrasts its usage with the dominant messaging app, WeChat. With 10 practical example sentences and cultural insights, you'll understand exactly when and how to talk about email in Mandarin Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): diànzǐ yóujiàn
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 3 (The component `邮件` is HSK 3)
• Concise Definition: An electronic message, the standard Chinese term for “email”.
• In a Nutshell: 电子邮件 (diànzǐ yóujiàn) is a straightforward, literal term that directly translates to “electronic mail”. It is the universal and official word for email in China, used in all contexts from technical manuals and business contracts to everyday conversation. While often shortened to `邮件 (yóujiàn)`, this full form leaves no room for ambiguity.

• 电 (diàn): This character means “electric” or “electricity”. It's a key component in many modern technology-related words, like `电脑 (diànnǎo)` - computer, and `电话 (diànhuà)` - telephone.
• 子 (zǐ): Originally meaning “child” or “son,” in this context, it acts as a suffix to mean “particle” or to create a noun. So, `电子 (diànzǐ)` means “electron” or, more broadly, “electronic.”
• 邮 (yóu): This character relates to “post” or “mail.” It's connected to the postal system, as in `邮局 (yóujú)` - post office.
• 件 (jiàn): This is a very common measure word for items, documents, clothing, and pieces of mail. It signifies a single “item” or “piece.”

Together, these characters form a perfectly logical compound word: 电 (diàn) + 子 (zǐ) = Electronic, and 邮 (yóu) + 件 (jiàn) = Mail Item. Thus, 电子邮件 (diànzǐ yóujiàn) literally means “electronic mail-item.”

Unlike ancient terms steeped in philosophy, `电子邮件` is a modern invention reflecting China's rapid technological integration. Its significance lies not in ancient culture but in how its usage pattern reveals modern Chinese communication norms. In the West, email serves as a catch-all for formal business, semi-formal announcements, and even personal long-form messages between friends. In China, its role is more specific. While essential for formal business, international communication, and official records (like registrations and receipts), it has been largely supplanted in the personal and semi-formal spheres by WeChat (微信 - Wēixìn). A Westerner might email a colleague to coordinate a casual lunch, but in China, this would almost exclusively happen on WeChat. Asking a new acquaintance for their email address can feel overly formal or even dated; asking for their WeChat is the standard way to connect. Therefore, using `电子邮件` often signals a more serious, official, or less personal context compared to the relationship-focused, instantaneous communication on WeChat.

`电子邮件` is used in specific, important contexts in modern China.

This is the primary domain of email. It is used for:

• Sending contracts, invoices, and official documents.
• Formal internal announcements.
• Communicating with international partners who may not use WeChat.
• Job applications and formal correspondence with HR.
• University students submitting assignments or communicating formally with professors.

In these situations, using `电子邮件` is expected and conveys professionalism and seriousness.

For personal use, `电子邮件` is more functional than social. It's used for:

• Registering for accounts on websites and apps.
• Receiving e-tickets, order confirmations, and statements.
• Resetting passwords.

You would rarely, if ever, use `电子邮件` to simply chat with a friend or send holiday greetings, as those functions are now entirely owned by WeChat.

• Example 1:
  • 我晚点会把文件用电子邮件发给你。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ wǎndiǎn huì bǎ wénjiàn yòng diànzǐ yóujiàn fā gěi nǐ.
  • English: I will send the document to you via email later.
  • Analysis: A classic and very common business sentence. The structure `用…发 (yòng…fā)` means “to send using…”. The `把 (bǎ)` structure is used to emphasize the action's effect on the object (`文件 wénjiàn`).
• Example 2:
  • 你的电子邮件地址是什么？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ de diànzǐ yóujiàn dìzhǐ shì shénme?
  • English: What is your email address?
  • Analysis: A fundamental question. `地址 (dìzhǐ)` means “address,” and here it combines with `电子邮件` to mean “email address.” This is a formal way to ask; in a casual setting, you'd be more likely to ask for their WeChat.
• Example 3:
  • 请查收您的电子邮件，我们已经发送了会议详情。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng cháshōu nín de diànzǐ yóujiàn, wǒmen yǐjīng fāsòng le huìyì xiángqíng.
  • English: Please check your email; we have already sent the meeting details.
  • Analysis: This is formal and polite, using `请 (qǐng)` for “please” and the formal “you” `您 (nín)`. `查收 (cháshōu)` is a formal verb for “check and receive.”
• Example 4:
  • 我今天早上收到了五十多封电子邮件。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ jīntiān zǎoshang shōudào le wǔshí duō fēng diànzǐ yóujiàn.
  • English: I received over fifty emails this morning.
  • Analysis: `封 (fēng)` is the proper measure word for letters and emails. `多 (duō)` after a number means “more than” or “over.”
• Example 5:
  • 很多垃圾电子邮件真的很烦人。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō lājī diànzǐ yóujiàn zhēn de hěn fánrén.
  • English: A lot of spam email is really annoying.
  • Analysis: Shows how to create compound nouns. `垃圾 (lājī)` means “trash” or “garbage,” so `垃圾电子邮件` is the direct term for “spam email.”
• Example 6:
  • 你需要把你的简历作为附件添加到电子邮件里。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ xūyào bǎ nǐ de jiǎnlì zuòwéi fùjiàn tiānjiā dào diànzǐ yóujiàn lǐ.
  • English: You need to add your resume as an attachment to the email.
  • Analysis: Introduces related vocabulary. `简历 (jiǎnlì)` is “resume/CV” and `附件 (fùjiàn)` is “attachment.”
• Example 7:
  • 这是我的工作电子邮件，不是私人的。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì wǒ de gōngzuò diànzǐ yóujiàn, búshì sīrén de.
  • English: This is my work email, not my personal one.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates how to specify the type of email. `工作 (gōngzuò)` means work, and `私人 (sīrén)` means private/personal.
• Example 8:
  • 我给你发邮件了，你收到了吗？
  • Pinyin: Wǒ gěi nǐ fā yóujiàn le, nǐ shōudào le ma?
  • English: I sent you an email, did you get it?
  • Analysis: This example uses the common abbreviation `邮件 (yóujiàn)`. In conversation, when the context is clear, this is used far more often than the full `电子邮件`. `发 (fā)` is “to send” and `收 (shōu)` is “to receive.”
• Example 9:
  • 注册这个网站需要一个有效的电子邮件账户。
  • Pinyin: Zhùcè zhège wǎngzhàn xūyào yí ge yǒuxiào de diànzǐ yóujiàn zhànghù.
  • English: Registering for this website requires a valid email account.
  • Analysis: `注册 (zhùcè)` is “to register,” and `账户 (zhànghù)` is “account.” `有效 (yǒuxiào)` means “valid” or “effective.” This is typical “tech-speak.”
• Example 10:
  • 对不起，我没及时回复你的电子邮件。
  • Pinyin: Duìbuqǐ, wǒ méi jíshí huífù nǐ de diànzǐ yóujiàn.
  • English: Sorry, I didn't reply to your email in time.
  • Analysis: `及时 (jíshí)` means “in a timely manner” or “promptly.” `回复 (huífù)` is the specific verb for “to reply” to a message or email.

• Mistake: Using `电子邮件` for Physical Mail.
  • A common mistake for beginners is to confuse `电子邮件` with a physical letter. The word for a traditional letter is `信 (xìn)`. While `信` can also mean “message” in a broader sense, if you just say `我给你写了一封信 (Wǒ gěi nǐ xiěle yī fēng xìn)`, it implies you wrote a physical letter on paper. Always use `电子邮件` or `邮件` to be clear you're talking about email.
  • Incorrect: 我把合同放在电子邮件里寄给你了。 (This sounds like you put a contract inside an “email” and mailed it, which is nonsensical).
  • Correct: 我用电子邮件把合同发给你了。 (I sent you the contract using email).
• Nuance: `电子邮件` vs. `邮件 (yóujiàn)`
  • In spoken Chinese, people almost always use the shortened form `邮件 (yóujiàn)`. It's faster and the context makes it clear.
  • `电子邮件` is more formal and specific. You would see it written in instructions, on forms, and use it when you need to be very precise. Think of it like “electronic mail” versus “email” in English—the former is more technical and formal.
• Cultural Pitfall: Asking for Email Instead of WeChat.
  • While not a language mistake, this is a cultural one. If you meet a new Chinese friend or colleague in a semi-formal setting and want to stay in touch, don't ask for their `电子邮件`. The standard, expected question is “Can I add your WeChat?” (我可以加你微信吗? - Wǒ kěyǐ jiā nǐ Wēixìn ma?). Asking for an email can seem stiff, overly formal, or imply you only want a business relationship.

• 邮件 (yóujiàn) - The common, everyday abbreviation for `电子邮件`. Essentially means “email.”
• 发 (fā) - The verb “to send.” Used as in `发邮件 (fā yóujiàn)`, to send an email.
• 收 (shōu) - The verb “to receive.” Used as in `收邮件 (shōu yóujiàn)`, to receive an email.
• 回复 (huífù) - The specific verb for “to reply” to a message, email, or letter.
• 邮箱 (yóuxiāng) - Mailbox. This can refer to both a physical mailbox and an electronic one (inbox).
• 附件 (fùjiàn) - Attachment. A file attached to an email.
• 地址 (dìzhǐ) - Address. Used to form `电子邮件地址 (diànzǐ yóujiàn dìzhǐ)`, or email address.
• 微信 (Wēixìn) - WeChat. The ubiquitous messaging and social media app that has replaced email for most personal and semi-formal communication in China.
• 信 (xìn) - Letter, message. By default, it refers to a physical, paper letter unless context suggests otherwise.
• 短信 (duǎnxìn) - SMS, text message. Literally “short message.”