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How to start, write and end a letter in Chinese [formal + informal]

Looking to nail your business correspondence in Chinese? Then check out this guide to writing expert letters and emails in Chinese!

Writing any formal correspondence can be daunting, especially when doing it in a foreign language. However, writing a formal email or letter in Chinese doesn’t have to be super complicated — it’s not much different from writing a letter in English! As you’ll see in this article, Chinese emails and letters use much of the same formatting and structure as English and other languages.

That said, you should be aware of some unique features of letters and emails in Chinese. In the following article, we’ll cover everything you need to know to expertly write letters and emails in Chinese, whether you’re writing to your business colleagues, family, or teachers. You could even use these strategies to write a romantic love letter in Chinese!

We’ll walk you through every step of the way, from writing the initial greeting all the way through your sign-off and signature. No matter how long you’ve been learning Chinese, you’ll be able to write a letter or email by the end of this article!

Let’s jump right in!

Learning to write business emails and letters in Chinese.


The importance of learning how to write a letter or email in Chinese

Most conversations in China take place on WeChat, which is the most popular instant messaging app in China. This includes professional and business conversations, so you may find yourself messaging your professors or business partners on WeChat. This is viewed as the most convenient form of communication and is used by virtually everyone in China.

With that said, you will still want to learn how to write a letter or email in Chinese if you hope to foster healthy business or professional relationships. Some topics are better addressed via email, especially at the beginning of a new relationship, where texting or calling may be less appropriate. Thus, to set yourself up for success in China, you must make the right impression by sending the perfect introductory email in Chinese.

Here are some of the essential phrases you’ll need to navigate an email in Chinese:

EnglishChinesePinyinPronunciation
Recipient/To收件人shōu jiàn rénshou jiann ren
Sender/From发件人fā jiàn rénfa jiann ren
CC抄送chāo sòngchau sonq
BCC密送mì sòngmi sonq
Subject主题zhǔ tíjuu tyi
Date日期rì qīryh chyi
Email address邮件地址yóu jiàn dì zhǐyou jiann dih jyy
Address地址dì zhǐdih jyy
Envelope信封xìn fēngshinn feng
Letterhead抬头tái tóutair tour
Email邮箱yóu xiāngyou shiang
Compose写信xiě xìnshiee shinn
To get new messages收信shōu xìnshou shinn
Contacts (person/people)联系人lián xì rénlian shih ren
Contacts (list)通讯录tōng xùn lùtong shiunn luh
Inbox收件箱shōu jiàn xiāngshou jiann shiang
Folder资料夹zī liào jiātzy liaw jia
Sent已发送yǐ fā sòngyii fa sonq
Junk folder垃圾箱lā jī xiānglha ji shiang
Send发送fā sòngfa sonq
Save draft存草稿cún cǎo gǎotswen tsao gao
Attachment附件fù jiànfuh jiann
Main body正文zhèng wénjenq wen
Content内容nèi róngney rong
Delete删除shān chúshan chwu
Forward转发zhuǎn fājoan fa


How to format a letter or email in Chinese

Chinese letters and emails follow similar formats to English letters and emails. You’ll generally want your letter to follow a standard format with a salutation, an initial greeting, a body, and a sign-off. We’ll cover all sections individually in the following sections.

Letter format in Chinese

Letters in Chinese follow a very similar format to English letters. The most significant difference is that the date comes at the end instead of at the top. Let’s review an example of a letter in Chinese.

Example of a letter in Chinese

中国江苏省南京市鼓楼区金银街16号
邮编:210093
王立华(收)
电话: 130-2121-3340

尊敬的XX先生:

您好!

我代表贝立兹大学奖学金委员会给您写信。很高兴通知您,您已获得杰出学生奖学金。希望这笔奖学金能帮助您取得更大的成功。有关奖学金的更多详细信息,请您登录本大学的学术网站查看。再次恭喜您!

如果您需要了解任何其他信息,请随时联系我。

祝好!

刘老师
贝立兹大学奖学金委员会

2023年10月20日

How to format a formal letter in Chinese.

Writing an address in Chinese

A Chinese address will have many elements you’re used to, but they’ll be organized differently. Generally, Chinese goes from big to small, such as when writing dates (2023-10-25) and names (Surname-Given name). Addresses are no exception, so they always start with the largest unit and move progressively to the smallest.

This is almost the diametrical opposite of American addresses, where we start with the house number followed by the street name, then city, state, and zipcode. In China, however, you go the other way:

  • Country → Province → City → District → Street → Street number → Floor → Apartment number →

So, when formatting a Chinese address, it should look something like this:

中国江苏省南京市鼓楼区金银街16号
邮编:210093
收件人:(recipient’s name in Chinese)
电话: (recipient’s Chinese mobile phone number)

By the way, here’s some helpful address vocabulary in Chinese:

EnglishChinesePinyinPronunciation
Zipcode邮编yóu biānyou bian
Country国家guó jiāgwo jia
Provinceshěngsheeng
Countyxiànshiann
Cityshìshyh
Districtchiu
Avenue大街dà jiēdah jie
Streetluh
Alleyjiējie
Numberhàohaw
Floorlóulou
Apartment numbershìshyh


Email format in Chinese

Similar to letters in Chinese, emails in Chinese follow a very similar format to English letters, except that the date goes all the way at the end. Let’s take a look at an example:

Example of an email in Chinese

主题:2023年贝立玆大学秋季选课通知

各位同学好,

2023年贝立兹大学秋季学期选课时间为北京时间9月15日(周五)上午8:00-下午3:00,请各位同学准时登录大学教务系统选课。

请大家在选课之前务必填写好登记表。

如果有任何问题,请随时联系我们。

祝好!

刘老师
贝立兹大学教学办公室
地址:江苏省南京市鼓楼区金银街16号
电话:130-2445-4321
邮箱:liu@blz.edu.cn

2023年10月20日

Example of an email in Chinese.


How to start an email or letter in Chinese

Starting your Chinese email or letter correctly is one of the most important things you can do. This will help you start with a bang and set the right expectations for your communication, whether you’re addressing someone for the first time or communicating with a longtime colleague. Let’s take a look at the most important things to consider.

Woman shows how to format a letter or email in Chinese.

How to write the subject line in an email

Writing your email’s subject line is no joke. Not only can it be the difference between someone’s anti-spam system filtering out your email or not, but it will also be the recipient’s first impression of your email. A well-written email subject line can be the best way to start an award-worthy email.

Addressing and greetings in emails/letters

After writing your subject line, you will want to open your email by addressing the recipient. If you’re writing a letter in Chinese, then this will be the very first thing you write. Finding the appropriate address for the recipient is extremely important, as this will ensure that you’re not disrespectful by being too casual with people you should be more respectful to.

In that spirit, we’ve compiled 15 greetings you can use in your emails and letters to address anyone, from your colleagues all the way to heads of state!

EnglishChinesePinyinPronunciationNotes
Dear Sir,尊敬的先生:zūn jìng de xiān shēng,tzuen jinq de shian sheng,Formal greeting for a male recipient whose name is unknown.
Dear Madam,尊敬的女士:zūn jìng de nǚ shì,tzuen jinq de neu shyhFormal greeting for a female recipient whose name is unknown.
Dear Sir/Madam,尊敬的先生/女士:zūn jìng de xiān shēng / nǚ shì,tzuen jinq .de shian sheng neu shyhFormal greeting for a recipient whose name and gender are unknown.
Dear Sirs,尊敬的先生们:zūn jìng de xiān shēng men,tzuen jinq de shian sheng mhenFormal greeting for addressing several unknown people or a whole department
Dear Madams,尊敬的女士们:zūn jìng de nǚ shì men,tzuen jinq de neu shyh mhenFormal greeting used for addressing several female recipients whose names you may or may not know.
To whomever it may concern,尊敬的收信人:zūn jìng de shōu xìn rén,tzuen jinq de shou shinn renFormal greeting for when you don’t know who or how many people you’re addressing.
To whom it may concern致相关人士:zhì xiāng guān rén shìjyh shiang guan ren shyhFormal greeting for when you don’t know who or how many people you’re addressing.
Dear Mr. Biden,尊敬的拜登先生:zūn jìng de bài dēng xiān shēng,tzuen jinq de bay deng shian shengFormal greeting for a male recipient whose name you know.
Dear Mrs. Biden,尊敬的拜登女士:zūn jìng de bài dēng nǚ shì,tzuen jinq de bay deng neu shyhFormal greeting for addressing a married female recipient whose name you know.
Dear Miss Biden,尊敬的拜登女士zūn jìng de bài dēng nǚ shì,tzuen jinq de bay deng neu shyhFormal greeting for addressing a single female recipient whose name you know.
Dear Ms. Biden,尊敬的拜登女士:zūn jìng de bài dēng nǚ shì,tzuen jinq de bay deng neu shyhFormal greeting for a female recipient whose name you know.
Dear Joe Biden,亲爱的乔·拜登qīn ài de qiáo·bài dēng,chin ay de iue chyau dengLess formal greeting for someone you’ve done business with before.
Dear Joe,亲爱的乔:qīn'ài de qiáo,chin ay de chyauInformal greeting used for close friends.
Hello everyone各位好:gè wèi hǎogeh wey haoInformal greeting used for addressing many people.
Hello friends朋友们好:péng yǒu men hǎo,perng yeou mhen haoMost informal greeting used only when addressing friends.


How to build the body for a letter or email in Chinese

Once you’ve created an expert subject line and found the perfect address for your recipient, it’s time to start with your email or letter. Although the way you start the body will vary drastically depending on the type of letter you’re writing, there are a few common starting points that will help you get started.

Sometimes, you must kindly request something from your recipient, or you may have a question to ask them. You may also write to communicate something that happened or that your recipient should know. Here are 19 ways to begin the body of your email or letter and a notes column to give you more context on when each phrase might be appropriate.

EnglishChinesePinyinPronunciationNote
We are writing to you regarding ____我们就____一事给您写信wǒ men jiù ____ yī shì gěi nín xiě xìnwoo mhen jiow ____ i shyh geei nin shiee shinnFormal, to open on behalf of the whole company
We are writing in connection with ____我们因____写这封信wǒ men yīn____xiě zhè fēng xìnwoo mhen in ____ shiee jeh feng shinnFormal, to open on behalf of the whole company
Further to____因贵公司____yīn guì gōng sī____in guey gong sy ____Formal, to open regarding something you have seen from the company you are contacting
With reference to ____鉴于贵公司____jiàn yú guì gōng sī ____jiann yu guey gong sy ____Formal, to open regarding something you have seen from the company you are contacting
I am writing to you on behalf of ____我代表____给您写信wǒ dài biǎo ____ gěi nín xiě xìnwoo day beau ____ geei nin shiee shinnFormal, when writing for someone else
Would you mind if ____请问您是否介意 ____qǐng wèn nín shì fǒu jiè yì ____chiing wenn nin shyh foou jieh yih ____Formal request, tentative
Would you be so kind as to ____您是否能够 ____nín shì fǒu néng gòu ____nin shyh foou neng gow ____Formal request, tentative
I would be most obliged if ____如果您能____,我将不胜感激rú guǒ nín néng ____ wǒ jiāng bù shèng gǎn jīru guoo nin neng ____ woo jiang buh sheng gaan jiFormal request, tentative
We would appreciate it if you could send us more detailed information about ____如果您能给我们发送更多有关____的详细信息,我们将不胜感激rú guǒ nín néng gěi wǒ men fā sòng gèng duō yǒu guān ____ de xiáng xì xìn xī, wǒ men jiāng bù shèng gǎn jīru guoo nin neng geei woo mhen fa sonq genq duo yeou guan ____ de shyang shih shinn shi woo mhen jiang buh sheng gaan jiFormal request, very polite
I would be grateful if you could ____如果您能____,我将非常感激rú guǒ nín néng ____, wǒ jiāng fēi cháng gǎn jīru guoo nin neng ____, woo jiang fei charng gaan jiFormal request, very polite
Would you please send me ____您能将____发送给我吗?nín néng jiāng ____ fā sòng gěi wǒ ma?nin neng jiang ____ sonq geei woo mhaFormal request, polite
We are interested in obtaining/receiving ____我们对获得/接受____很有兴趣wǒ men duì huò dé/jiē shòu ____ hěn yǒu xìng qùwoo mhen duey huoh der / jie show heen ____ yeou shinq chiuhFormal request, polite
I must ask you whether ____我必须问您是否____wǒ bì xū wèn nín shì fǒu ____woo bih shiu wenn nin shyh foou ____Formal request, polite
Could you recommend ____您能推荐____吗?nín néng tuī jiàn ____ ma?nin neng tuei jiann ____ mhaFormal request, direct
Would you please send me ____您能将____发送给我吗?nín néng jiāng ____ fā sòng gěi wǒ ma?nin neng jiang ____ fa sonq geei woo mhaFormal request, direct
You are urgently requested to ____请您尽快按要求将 ____qǐng nín jǐn kuài àn yāo qiú jiāng ____chiing nin jiin kuay ann iau chyou jiang ____Formal request, very direct
We would be grateful if ____如果您能____,我们将不胜感激rú guǒ nín néng ____, wǒ men jiāng bù shèng gǎn jīru guoo nin neng ____, woo mhen jiang buh sheng gaan jiFormal request, polite, on behalf of the company
What is your current list price for ____您目前针对____的价格清单是什么样的?nín mù qián zhēn duì ____ de jià gé qīng dān shì shén me yàng de?nin muh chyan jen duey ____ de jiah ger ching dan shyh shern me yanq deFormal specific request, direct
We are sorry to inform you that ____很抱歉地通知您____hěn bào qiàn de tōng zhī nín ____heen baw chiann de tong jy nin ____Formal inquiry, direct


How to end an email or letter in Chinese

Finally, you’ll want a solid way to close your email or letter in Chinese. After you’ve made your requests or communicated everything you needed to share in your email, it’s customary to include a line expressing your gratitude for their time, offering any assistance if required, or simply wishing them a great rest of the week. Here are some great examples, along with individual notes, so you know how and when to use them.

EnglishChinesePinyinPronunciationNotes
If you need any additional assistance, please contact me.如果您需要任何其他帮助,请联系我。rú guǒ nín xū yào rèn hé qí tā bāng zhù, qǐng lián xì wǒ.ru guoo nin shiu yaw renn her chyi ta bang juh chiing lian shih wooFormal, very polite
If we can be of any further assistance, please let us know.如果我们能提供任何进一步的帮助,请告诉我们。rú guǒ wǒ men néng tí gōng rèn hé jìn yī bù de bāng zhù, qǐng gào sù wǒ men.ru guoo woo mhen neng tyi gong renn her jinn i buh de bang juh chiing gaw suh woo mhenFormal, very polite
Thank you in advance提前谢谢您tí qián xiè xiè níntyi chyan shieh shieh ninFormal, very polite
Sincerely wishing you well敬祝商祺jìng zhù shāng qíjinq juh shang chyiFormal, very polite, only in business relationships
Should you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.如果您需要任何进一步的信息,请随时联系我。rú guǒ nín xū yào rèn hé jìn yī bù de xìn xī, qǐng suí shí lián xì wǒru guoo nin shiu yaw renn her jinn i buh de shinn shi chiing swei shyr lian shih wooFormal, very polite
I would be most grateful if you would look into this matter as soon as possible.如果您能尽快查看相关问题,我将不胜感激。rú guǒ nín néng jǐn kuài chá kàn xiàng guān wèn tí, wǒ jiāng bù shèng gǎn jī.ru guoo nin neng jiin kuay char kann shianq guan wenn tyi woo jiang buh sheng gaan jiFormal, very polite
Please reply as soon as possible because ____麻烦请您尽快回复,因为____má fan qǐng nín jǐn kuài huí fù, yīn wèi ____ma fan chiing nin jiin kuay hwei fuh in wey ____Formal, polite
If you require any further information, feel free to contact me.如果您需要任何进一步的信息,请直接联系我。rú guǒ nín xū yào rèn hé jìn yī bù de xìn xī, qǐng zhí jiē lián xì wǒ.ru guoo nin shiu yaw renn her jinn i buh de shinn shi chiing jyr jie lian shih wooFormal, polite
I look forward to the possibility of working together.我很期待将来有合作的可能性。wǒ hěn qī dài jiāng lái yǒu hé zuò de kě néng xìngwoo heen chyi day jiang lai yeou her tzuoh de kee neng shinqFormal, polite
Thank you for your help in this matter.谢谢您在这件事上的帮忙。xiè xiè nín zài zhè jiàn shì shàng de bāng mángshieh shieh nin tzay jeh jiann shyh shanq de bang mangFormal, polite
I look forward to discussing this with you.我期待着和您就此事进行进一步的商讨。wǒ qī dài zhe hé nín jiù cǐ shì jìn xíng jìn yī bù de shāng tǎowoo chyi day je her nin jiow tsyy shyh jinn shyng jinn i buh de shang taoFormal, direct
If you require more information ____如果您需要更多信息____rú guǒ nín xū yào gèng duō xìn xī ____ru guoo nin shiu yaw genq duo shinn shi ____Formal, direct
We appreciate your business.和您做生意,我们觉得很愉快。hé nín zuò shēng yì, wǒ men jué dé hěn yú kuàiher nin tzuoh sheng yih woo mhen jyue der heen yu kuayFormal, direct
Please contact me - my direct telephone number is ____请联系我,我的电话号码是____qǐng lián xì wǒ, wǒ de diàn huà hào mǎ shì ____chiing lian shih woo woo de diann huah haw maa shyh ____Formal, very direct
I look forward to hearing from you soon.期待着尽快得到您的回复。qí dài zhe jǐn kuài dé dào nín de huí fù.chyi day je jiin kuay der daw nin de hwei fuhLess formal, polite
We apologize for any inconvenience如有不便之处,敬请见谅rú yǒu bù biàn zhī chù, jìng qǐng jiàn liàngru yeou buh biann jy chuh jinq chiing jiann lianqFormal polite
Sorry for bothering you!麻烦您了!má fán nín lema farn nin lheInformal polite
Thanks a lot!多谢 !duō xièduo shiehInformal polite
Yours faithfully,此致cǐ zhìtsyy jyhFormal, recipient name unknown
Yours sincerely,此致cǐ zhìtsyy jyhFormal, widely used, recipient known
Respectfully,敬礼jìng lǐjinq liiFormal, widely used, recipient known
Respectfully yours,此致cǐ zhìtsyy jyhFormal, widely used, recipient known
Sincerely wishing you well,敬祝安好jìng zhù ān hǎojinq juh an haoFormal
Kind/Best regards,祝好zhù hǎojuh haoInformal, between business partners who work together often
Thank you感谢gǎn xiègaan shiehInformal, polite
Thank you谢谢xiè xieshieh shieInformal, very casual
Goodbye再见zài jiàntzay jiannInformal, best reserved for signoffs with close friends


How to format your signature

Signatures in Chinese are generally much simpler than signatures in the United States. All you have to include is your essential contact information, such as your name, job title, phone number, address, etc. No need to worry about formatting or adding a headshot — providing your info clearly and concisely should be the main priority. Here are a few things you can include in your signature:

Learning ways to format your signature in Chinese.

EnglishChinesePinyinPronunciationNotes
Name名字míng zìming tzyhYou may include your Chinese name along with your real name
Company name公司gōng sīgong sy

Position职业zhí yèjyr yehYou can check out our guide to writing the perfect Chinese resume to see a list of professions.
Address地址dì zhǐdih jyy

Phone number电话diàn huàdiann huah

Email address邮箱yóu xiāngyou shiang


Start making big moves with letters and emails in Chinese

Whether you’re looking to express your true romantic love with the perfect letter or take over the marketing industry with enticing emails, this guide has everything you need. With enough practice and the right guidance, you’ll find that learning how to write Chinese isn’t hard, even if you’re dealing with professional documents like letters and emails.

If you enjoyed this guide, then you’ll surely find some other helpful Mandarin Chinese articles in our blog. We regularly publish helpful guides to help you navigate life in Chinese, like our ultimate guide to asking and giving directions in Chinese.

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