电子邮件

电子邮件 (diànzǐ yóujiàn) is the formal Chinese word for 'email' — literally 'electronic mail,' a direct calque of the English term. Use the full four-syllable form on business cards, contact forms, in HSK tests, and in formal writing. In everyday speech, native speakers almost always shorten it: 邮件 (yóujiàn) is the most common spoken short form, and many young people simply say the English word 'email' or use the verb 发 with no object ('我给你发一封过去').

To send an email is 发电子邮件 (fā diànzǐ yóujiàn) or 写电子邮件 (xiě diànzǐ yóujiàn, to write one). The measure word 封 is shared with 信 (xìn, letter), which is fitting — email is the electronic descendant of the paper letter. Common variants: 邮箱 (yóuxiāng) = inbox / email address; 邮箱地址 = email address.