Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar

Greetings and goodbyes in letters

24.3

岁祺/歲祺 suìqí good fortune at the New Year

新禧 xīnxǐ Happy New Year

道安 dào’ān asking about your well-being

鈞安 jūn’ān your well-being

文安 wén’ān your health

expressions included with the signature

The following expressions are included after the name of the sender.

For letters written to someone of the same generation as oneself:

Less formal

上 shàng written by

More formal

敬上 jìng shàng respectfully presented

拜上 bài shàng respectfully yours

拜启/拜啟 bài qǐ respectfully report

再拜 zài bài bow twice (a polite closing to a letter)

For very formal letters written to a superior

谨启/謹啟 jǐn qǐ cautiously and prudently respectfully present

谨禀/謹稟 jǐn bǐng respectfully submitted

In addition, if the addressee is referred to as 兄 xiōng, 弟 dì, 姊 zǐ, or 妹 mèi in the salutation,

the writer typically prefixes the reciprocal generation term to his or her name in the closing. In

other words, a male writer who greets his addressee with 兄 xiōng typically closes the letter

by prefixing his name with 弟 dì. A female writer who greets her addressee with 姊 zǐ typically

closes the letter by prefixing her name with 妹 mèi.

In the body of a letter, the name of the sender and the date of the letter are placed at the end

of the letter.

Sample letters illustrating the format and the use of these expressions are presented here.

24.3.3 Sample letter outlines

24.3.3.1 informal letter to a friend

丽历姊如晤：

麗歷姊如晤：

Lìlì zǐ rúwù:

Older sister Lili, as I talk to you face-to-face:

[body of the letter]

顺颂

順頌

Shùn sòng

I take this opportunity to send regards and wish for your well-being

夏安

Xià’ān

peace in this summer season

妹 王嘉玲 上

一月十二日

mèi Wáng Jiālíng shàng

yī yuè shí’èr rì

Younger sister Wang Jialing

January 12