yóujì: 邮寄 - To Mail, To Post, To Send by Post

• Keywords: 邮寄, youji, send by mail Chinese, post a letter Chinese, mail a package in China, Chinese for mail, how to mail something in China, 邮政 (youzheng), 快递 (kuaidi), 包裹 (baoguo)
• Summary: Learn how to use the essential Chinese verb 邮寄 (yóujì), which means “to mail” or “to send by post.” This guide covers its meaning, character breakdown, and practical use at a Chinese post office. We'll also explore the crucial cultural difference between traditional 邮寄 (yóujì) and modern express delivery, 快递 (kuàidì), helping you navigate sending packages and letters in today's China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): yóujì
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: To send something through a postal service.
• In a Nutshell: 邮寄 (yóujì) is the standard, slightly formal word for mailing an item, whether it's a letter, a postcard, or a package. Think of it as the action you perform at a post office (邮局, yóujú). It specifically implies using a postal system, not just handing something off or sending it digitally.

• 邮 (yóu): This character means “post” or “mail.” It's composed of 垂 (chuí), which originally depicted something hanging, and 阝(yì), a radical meaning “city” or “settlement.” Together, they evoke the idea of a system that moves things between settlements—a postal service.
• 寄 (jì): This character means “to send,” “to mail,” or “to entrust.” It has the “roof” radical 宀 (mián) on top, suggesting a house, and 奇 (qí) below, which provides the sound. The character conveys the action of sending something from one's home to another place.
• When combined, 邮寄 (yóujì) literally means “to send via the post,” a clear and direct combination of the characters' meanings.

Historically, a unified and reliable postal system (邮政, yóuzhèng) was crucial for governing the vast territory of China, connecting the capital with distant provinces. 邮寄 (yóujì) embodies this traditional, state-run system, represented today by China Post (中国邮政). However, the most significant cultural context for a learner in modern China is the contrast between 邮寄 (yóujì) and 快递 (kuàidì).

• 邮寄 (yóujì): Associated with the standard, often slower, national postal service. It's still used for official documents, international standard mail, and sending things from more remote areas. It can sometimes feel a bit more formal or even dated compared to its modern counterpart.
• 快递 (kuàidì - “Express Delivery”): This refers to the vast, hyper-efficient network of private courier companies (like SF Express, JD Logistics, ZTO Express) that have exploded with the rise of e-commerce. For domestic package delivery, 快递 is the default in daily life. It's fast, cheap, and offers door-to-door service.

While in the West, “mailing” something can refer to both the standard post (like USPS) and private couriers (like FedEx/UPS), in China, there's a much sharper distinction in everyday language. Using 邮寄 when you mean a fast, modern courier might be understood, but it wouldn't be as precise as saying 快递.

You'll encounter 邮寄 in more formal or traditional contexts.

• At the Post Office (邮局): This is the primary place where 邮寄 is the correct and expected verb. When you walk up to the counter with a package, you are there to 邮寄 it.
• Official Forms: Government agencies or companies might ask you to 邮寄 documents or applications. Online forms might use 邮寄地址 (yóujì dìzhǐ) for “mailing address.”
• International Mail: When sending a package or letter overseas through the standard postal system, 邮寄 is the appropriate term.

In casual conversation, if you're sending a friend a package domestically, you are far more likely to use 寄 (jì) on its own, or specify 快递 (kuàidì). For example, “I'll courier it to you” would be “我给你快递过去 (Wǒ gěi nǐ kuàidì guòqù).”

• Example 1:
  • 我想邮寄这个包裹到上海。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xiǎng yóujì zhège bāoguǒ dào Shànghǎi.
  • English: I want to mail this package to Shanghai.
  • Analysis: A classic, standard sentence you would use at the post office counter. It's polite and clear.
• Example 2:
  • 你能帮我把这封信邮寄出去吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ néng bāng wǒ bǎ zhè fēng xìn yóujì chūqù ma?
  • English: Can you help me mail this letter?
  • Analysis: The structure `把 + [Object] + [Verb]` is very common in Chinese. Here, `邮寄出去 (yóujì chūqù)` emphasizes the action of sending it “out.”
• Example 3:
  • 邮寄这些文件需要多少钱？
  • Pinyin: Yóujì zhèxiē wénjiàn xūyào duōshǎo qián?
  • English: How much does it cost to mail these documents?
  • Analysis: A practical question for the post office. 邮寄 here acts as the subject of the sentence in its gerund form (“mailing”).
• Example 4:
  • 公司会把合同邮寄给你。
  • Pinyin: Gōngsī huì bǎ hétong yóujì gěi nǐ.
  • English: The company will mail the contract to you.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates a formal business context where 邮寄 is the appropriate choice for sending important papers.
• Example 5:
  • 我的毕业证书是通过邮寄收到的。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de bìyè zhèngshū shì tōngguò yóujì shōudào de.
  • English: I received my graduation certificate by mail.
  • Analysis: The structure `是…的 (shì…de)` is used here to emphasize the manner in which the action occurred, which was `通过邮寄` (through mail).
• Example 6:
  • 请填写您的邮寄地址。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng tiánxiě nín de yóujì dìzhǐ.
  • English: Please fill in your mailing address.
  • Analysis: Here, 邮寄 acts as an adjective modifying “address.” This is a very common phrase on forms.
• Example 7:
  • 他昨天已经把生日礼物邮寄给我了。
  • Pinyin: Tā zuótiān yǐjīng bǎ shēngrì lǐwù yóujì gěi wǒ le.
  • English: He already mailed the birthday gift to me yesterday.
  • Analysis: Shows the use of 邮寄 in the past tense, marked by `已经…了 (yǐjīng…le)`.
• Example 8:
  • 对不起，这个东西太大了，不能邮寄。
  • Pinyin: Duìbuqǐ, zhège dōngxi tài dà le, bùnéng yóujì.
  • English: Sorry, this item is too big, it cannot be mailed.
  • Analysis: A simple negative sentence using `不能 (bùnéng)` to express inability or that something is not allowed.
• Example 9:
  • 你是想用平邮还是空运来邮寄？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ shì xiǎng yòng píngyóu háishì kōngyùn lái yóujì?
  • English: Do you want to mail it by surface mail or by air mail?
  • Analysis: This shows how 邮寄 can be the main verb in a sentence that discusses different mailing methods (`平邮` vs `空运`).
• Example 10:
  • 我得去一趟邮局，把这些明信片邮寄给我的朋友们。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ děi qù yī tàng yóujú, bǎ zhèxiē míngxìnpiàn yóujì gěi wǒ de péngyoumen.
  • English: I have to make a trip to the post office to mail these postcards to my friends.
  • Analysis: This sentence describes the entire process: the need (`得 děi`), the location (`邮局 yóujú`), and the action (`邮寄`).

• `邮寄 (yóujì)` vs. `寄 (jì)`: `寄 (jì)` is the single-character, more general verb for “to send” or “to mail.” You can say `寄信 (jì xìn)` (mail a letter) or `寄包裹 (jì bāoguǒ)` (mail a package). 邮寄 is more specific to the postal system and a bit more formal. In many cases, they are interchangeable, but 邮寄 sounds more official.
  • Correct: 我想寄这个包裹。(Wǒ xiǎng jì zhège bāoguǒ.)
  • Correct: 我想邮寄这个包裹。(Wǒ xiǎng yóujì zhège bāoguǒ.)
• `邮寄 (yóujì)` vs. `发 (fā)`: This is a common point of confusion. `发 (fā)` means “to send out” but is extremely broad. You `发短信 (fā duǎnxìn - send a text)`, `发邮件 (fā yóujiàn - send an email)`, or `发货 (fā huò - ship goods, as a seller)`. You cannot `发` a physical package in the same way. Using `发` for a physical letter would be incorrect.
  • Incorrect: ~~我想发这个包裹。~~ (This sounds like you are a company “dispatching” goods, not an individual mailing something).
  • Correct: 我想邮寄这个包裹。
• The Biggest Mistake: Not using `快递 (kuàidì)`: The most common modern pitfall is using 邮寄 for all domestic deliveries. If you're telling your friend you're sending them a book, and you plan to use a fast courier service like SF Express, you should say `我给你快递一本书 (Wǒ gěi nǐ kuàidì yī běn shū)`. If you say `我给你邮寄一本书`, they might assume it's coming via the slower China Post. It's a mistake of precision, not grammar, but it reveals a lack of familiarity with modern Chinese life.

• 快递 (kuàidì) - Express delivery/courier. The faster, more common modern alternative to 邮寄.
• 包裹 (bāoguǒ) - Parcel, package. The object that you 邮寄.
• 邮局 (yóujú) - Post office. The place where you go to 邮寄 things.
• 邮票 (yóupiào) - Postage stamp. A small paper adhesive you put on letters to be mailed.
• 寄信 (jì xìn) - To mail a letter. A more specific verb-object phrase related to 邮寄.
• 邮编 (yóubiān) - Postal code / Zip code. Essential information needed for 邮寄.
• 收件人 (shōu jiàn rén) - Recipient/Addressee. The person who receives the mailed item.
• 寄件人 (jì jiàn rén) - Sender. The person who is doing the 邮寄.
• 中国邮政 (Zhōngguó Yóuzhèng) - China Post. The official state postal service of China.
• 平邮 (píngyóu) - Surface mail. The slowest and cheapest mailing option, often implied by 邮寄 if not otherwise specified.