--- title: "How to Write a Letter or Email in Chinese: Format, Openings, Endings and Examples" description: "How a Chinese letter or email is laid out, from 亲爱的 and 尊敬的 to 此致敬礼, with two examples and every line in pinyin and English with sound: greetings, openings, requests, endings, the name and the date." canonical: "https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-letter-writing" author: "Mandarin The Wild" --- Free · 23 lines # Letters and emails in Chinese How a Chinese letter is laid out, and the lines for each part, with pinyin and sound. A letter to a friend 亲爱的小明： 你好！好久没给你写信了，你最近怎么样？ 下个月我要去北京旅游，听说你也在北京，到时候我们见个面吧！ 期待你的回信。 祝你一切顺利！ 你的朋友：李华 五月二十日 An email to a teacher 尊敬的王老师： 您好！我是三年级二班的李华。 下周五我要参加学校的中文演讲比赛，想请您帮我看看我的演讲稿。演讲稿在附件里，请您有空的时候看一下。 非常感谢您的帮助！ 此致 敬礼！ 学生：李华 五月二十日 [Print as flashcards](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-flashcards?level=mine&words=%E4%BA%B2%E7%88%B1%20%E5%B0%8A%E6%95%AC%20%E6%AD%A4%E8%87%B4%20%E6%95%AC%E7%A4%BC%20%E5%9B%9E%E4%BF%A1%20%E6%9D%A5%E4%BF%A1%20%E6%9C%9F%E5%BE%85%20%E9%99%84%E4%BB%B6%20%E6%9F%A5%E6%94%B6%20%E8%81%94%E7%B3%BB%20%E9%A1%BA%E5%88%A9%20%E5%81%A5%E5%BA%B7%20%E8%BF%9B%E6%AD%A5%20%E9%BA%BB%E7%83%A6%20%E5%90%8C%E4%BA%8B) Speed ## The greeting · 称呼 qīn’ài亲爱de的Xiǎomíng小明： Dear Xiaoming, (to a friend or someone in the family) zūnjìng尊敬de的Wáng王lǎoshī老师： Dear Teacher Wang, (to a teacher, with respect) Wáng王jīnglǐ经理： Manager Wang, (at work: the surname and the title) gèwèi各位tóngshì同事： Dear colleagues, nínhǎo您好！ Hello! (on its own line, after the greeting, to someone you write to with respect) ## Opening lines · 开头 hǎojiǔ好久méi没gěi给nǐ你xiěxìn写信le了，nǐ你zuìjìn最近zěnmeyàng怎么样？ It’s been a long time since I wrote to you. How have you been? shōudào收到nǐ你de的xìn信，wǒ我fēicháng非常gāoxìng高兴。 I was very happy to get your letter. wǒ我shì是sānniánjí三年级èr二bān班de的Lǐ Huá李华。 I’m Li Hua, from class 2 in year 3. (introduce yourself first in a formal letter or email) wǒ我xiěxìn写信shì是xiǎng想wèn问nín您yī一jiàn件shì事。 I’m writing to ask you about something. xièxie谢谢nǐ你de的láixìn来信。 Thank you for your letter. ## The body · 正文 wǒ我xiǎng想qǐng请nín您bāng帮wǒ我kànkan看看wǒ我de的yǎnjiǎnggǎo演讲稿。 I’d like to ask you to look over my speech for me. fùjiàn附件shì是wǒ我de的jiǎnlì简历，qǐng请cháshōu查收。 My CV is attached; please find it enclosed. rúguǒ如果yǒu有rènhé任何wèntí问题，qǐng请suíshí随时liánxì联系wǒ我。 If you have any questions, please contact me at any time. fēicháng非常gǎnxiè感谢nín您de的bāngzhù帮助！ Thank you very much for your help! gěi给nín您tiānmáfan添麻烦le了。 Sorry for the trouble. (when you ask for something) ## Endings · 结尾 qīdài期待nǐ你de的huíxìn回信。 I look forward to your reply. cǐzhì-jìnglǐ此致敬礼！ With respect. (此致 on its own line, 敬礼 at the start of the next: the formal ending) zhù祝nǐ你yīqiè一切shùnlì顺利！ I wish you all the best! zhù祝shēntǐ-jiànkāng身体健康，gōngzuò工作shùnlì顺利！ Wishing you good health and success at work! zhù祝xuéxí学习jìnbù进步！ Good luck with your studies! (to a student) ## Signing off · 署名 nǐ你de的péngyou朋友：Xiǎomíng小明 Your friend, Xiaoming xuéshēng学生：Lǐ Huá李华 Your student, Li Hua wǔyuè五月èrshí二十rì日 20 May (the date goes under the name, month then day) ## How do you start a letter in Chinese? With the greeting at the left edge, then a colon: 亲爱的小明： (Dear Xiaoming) to a friend, 尊敬的王老师： (Dear Teacher Wang) to someone you respect. 你好！ or 您好！ goes on the next line, indented two characters like every paragraph. ## How do you end a letter in Chinese? With a wish or the formal 此致敬礼: write 此致 indented on its own line, and 敬礼！ at the left edge of the next. A wish such as 祝你一切顺利！ (all the best) can take its place in a friendly letter. Your name goes at the bottom right, and the date under it. ## How do I write an email in Chinese? The same parts, shorter: the greeting and 您好, who you are and why you write in the first lines, then the request, thanks (非常感谢), and your name. A formal email ends with 此致敬礼. The AP and IB email tasks are marked on these parts and on a reply to every question asked. ## 你 or 您? 您 is the respectful “you”: use it to a teacher, a manager, someone older or someone you don’t know. 你 is for friends and family. ## How is the date written? Biggest first: the year with 年, the month with 月, the day with 日, so 20 May is 5月20日, or 五月二十日 in characters. In a letter it goes at the bottom right, under your name. ## More free tools - [Chinese greetings](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-greetings) - [Chinese address to English](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-address) - [AP Chinese practice test](https://mandarinthewild.com/ap-chinese-practice-test) - [Chinese punctuation](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-punctuation) Letters, lines and English ours; pinyin from our own reader.