How To Write An Email In Chinese
Learn the basics of 写中文电子邮件 xiě zhōngwén diànzǐ yóujiàn — writing an email in simplified Chinese without sounding like a robot, a textbook, or a confused yak.
Writing an email in Chinese is not wildly different from writing one in English. You still need a subject line, a greeting, a clear reason for writing, and a polite ending. The main difference is tone: Chinese email writing often sounds a bit more direct in structure, but still polite when you use the right phrases.
In this guide, you will learn the common parts of an email, useful formal and semi-formal phrases, real examples, and the mistakes that make a message sound awkward. No poetry. No ancient bureaucracy. Just useful Chinese people actually recognize.
Start With This Simple Truth
An email is not a grammar talent show. Keep it clear, polite, and easy to answer. That wins more often than trying to sound impressively formal and accidentally sounding like a time traveler from 1954.
The Basic Structure Of A Chinese Email
主题 zhǔtí
Meaning: subject line
Example: 请假申请 qǐngjià shēnqǐng — leave request
称呼 chēnghu
Meaning: greeting / form of address
Example: 王老师您好 wáng lǎoshī nín hǎo — Hello Teacher Wang
开头 kāitóu
Meaning: opening line
Example: 我是李明 wǒ shì lǐ míng — I am Li Ming
正文 zhèngwén
Meaning: main body
Example: 我想请问一下…… wǒ xiǎng qǐngwèn yíxià…… — I would like to ask…
结尾 jiéwěi
Meaning: closing line
Example: 谢谢您的帮助 xièxie nín de bāngzhù — Thank you for your help
署名 shǔmíng
Meaning: signature / name
Example: 李明 lǐ míng — Li Ming
Rule By Rule: How To Build The Email
| Part | Pattern | Meaning | Example In Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greeting | 您好 nín hǎo | Hello (polite) | 张经理您好 zhāng jīnglǐ nín hǎo | zhāng jīnglǐ nín hǎo | Hello Manager Zhang |
| Self-Introduction | 我是…… wǒ shì…… | I am… | 我是王娜 wǒ shì wáng nà | wǒ shì wáng nà | I am Wang Na |
| Reason For Writing | 我写这封邮件是想…… wǒ xiě zhè fēng yóujiàn shì xiǎng…… | I am writing this email to… | 我写这封邮件是想请假 wǒ xiě zhè fēng yóujiàn shì xiǎng qǐngjià | wǒ xiě zhè fēng yóujiàn shì xiǎng qǐngjià | I am writing this email to ask for leave |
| Polite Request | 麻烦您…… máfan nín…… | Could you please… | 麻烦您回复我一下 máfan nín huífù wǒ yíxià | máfan nín huífù wǒ yíxià | Please reply to me |
| Attachment | 附件是…… fùjiàn shì…… | The attachment is… | 附件是我的简历 fùjiàn shì wǒ de jiǎnlì | fùjiàn shì wǒ de jiǎnlì | The attachment is my résumé |
| Closing Thanks | 感谢您的时间 gǎnxiè nín de shíjiān | Thank you for your time | 感谢您的时间和帮助 gǎnxiè nín de shíjiān hé bāngzhù | gǎnxiè nín de shíjiān hé bāngzhù | Thank you for your time and help |
Useful Phrases You Can Reuse
您好 nín hǎo — hello (polite)
例句：您好，我是新来的实习生。 nín hǎo, wǒ shì xīn lái de shíxíshēng. — Hello, I am the new intern.
请问 qǐngwèn — may I ask / excuse me
例句：请问您明天下午有时间吗？ qǐngwèn nín míngtiān xiàwǔ yǒu shíjiān ma? — May I ask whether you have time tomorrow afternoon?
我是…… wǒ shì…… — I am…
例句：我是市场部的刘洋。 wǒ shì shìchǎng bù de liú yáng. — I am Liu Yang from the marketing department.
我想…… wǒ xiǎng…… — I would like to…
例句：我想预约下周一的会议。 wǒ xiǎng yùyuē xià zhōu yī de huìyì. — I would like to schedule a meeting for next Monday.
我写这封邮件是想…… wǒ xiě zhè fēng yóujiàn shì xiǎng…… — I am writing this email to…
例句：我写这封邮件是想确认面试时间。 wǒ xiě zhè fēng yóujiàn shì xiǎng quèrèn miànshì shíjiān. — I am writing this email to confirm the interview time.
麻烦您…… máfan nín…… — could you please…
例句：麻烦您把资料发给我。 máfan nín bǎ zīliào fā gěi wǒ. — Could you please send me the materials?
如果方便的话…… rúguǒ fāngbiàn de huà…… — if it is convenient…
例句：如果方便的话，请您今天回复。 rúguǒ fāngbiàn de huà, qǐng nín jīntiān huífù. — If convenient, please reply today.
附件是…… fùjiàn shì…… — the attachment is…
例句：附件是修改后的文件。 fùjiàn shì xiūgǎi hòu de wénjiàn. — The attachment is the revised file.
请查收 qǐng cháshōu — please check / please receive
例句：附件请查收。 fùjiàn qǐng cháshōu. — Please check the attachment.
谢谢 xièxie — thanks
例句：谢谢您的回复。 xièxie nín de huífù. — Thank you for your reply.
感谢 gǎnxiè — thank / appreciate
例句：感谢您的帮助。 gǎnxiè nín de bāngzhù. — Thank you for your help.
期待您的回复 qīdài nín de huífù — looking forward to your reply
例句：期待您的回复，谢谢。 qīdài nín de huífù, xièxie. — Looking forward to your reply, thank you.
祝好 zhù hǎo — best regards
例句：祝好，李明。 zhù hǎo, lǐ míng. — Best regards, Li Ming.
Formal And Semi-Formal Greetings
Safer Formal Options
- 王老师您好 wáng lǎoshī nín hǎo — Hello Teacher Wang
- 张经理您好 zhāng jīnglǐ nín hǎo — Hello Manager Zhang
- 李女士您好 lǐ nǚshì nín hǎo — Hello Ms. Li
- 您好 nín hǎo — Hello
More Neutral Options
- 你好 nǐ hǎo — Hello
- 嗨 hāi — Hi
- 各位好 gèwèi hǎo — Hello everyone
- 大家好 dàjiā hǎo — Hi everyone
Useful rule: use 您好 nín hǎo for teachers, clients, managers, or anyone you do not know well. Use 你好 nǐ hǎo for coworkers or casual contacts. Use 嗨 hāi only when the relationship is clearly relaxed. Do not stroll into a first email with peak casual energy and expect it to look elegant.
Three Real Email Templates
Email To A Teacher
王老师您好，
wáng lǎoshī nín hǎo,我是二年级三班的李明。
wǒ shì èr niánjí sān bān de lǐ míng.我写这封邮件是想请假，因为我今天身体不舒服，不能去上课。
wǒ xiě zhè fēng yóujiàn shì xiǎng qǐngjià, yīnwèi wǒ jīntiān shēntǐ bù shūfu, bùnéng qù shàngkè.如果方便的话，麻烦您告诉我今天的作业内容。
rúguǒ fāngbiàn de huà, máfan nín gàosu wǒ jīntiān de zuòyè nèiróng.谢谢您的理解。
xièxie nín de lǐjiě.祝好，
zhù hǎo,李明
lǐ míng
English translation: Hello Teacher Wang. I am Li Ming from Class 3, Grade 2. I am writing this email to ask for leave because I am not feeling well today and cannot attend class. If convenient, could you please tell me today’s homework? Thank you for your understanding. Best regards, Li Ming.
Email To A Manager
张经理您好，
zhāng jīnglǐ nín hǎo,我是市场部的王娜。
wǒ shì shìchǎng bù de wáng nà.我写这封邮件是想确认下周三会议的时间和地点。
wǒ xiě zhè fēng yóujiàn shì xiǎng quèrèn xià zhōu sān huìyì de shíjiān hé dìdiǎn.如果会议安排已经确定，麻烦您通知我一下。
rúguǒ huìyì ānpái yǐjīng quèdìng, máfan nín tōngzhī wǒ yíxià.感谢您的时间。
gǎnxiè nín de shíjiān.祝好，
zhù hǎo,王娜
wáng nà
English translation: Hello Manager Zhang. I am Wang Na from the marketing department. I am writing this email to confirm the time and place of next Wednesday’s meeting. If the arrangements are already fixed, could you please let me know? Thank you for your time. Best regards, Wang Na.
Email With An Attachment
李女士您好，
lǐ nǚshì nín hǎo,附件是我修改后的报告，请查收。
fùjiàn shì wǒ xiūgǎi hòu de bàogào, qǐng cháshōu.如果您有任何问题，请随时联系我。
rúguǒ nín yǒu rènhé wèntí, qǐng suíshí liánxì wǒ.谢谢。
xièxie.祝好，
zhù hǎo,陈杰
chén jié
English translation: Hello Ms. Li. The attachment is my revised report; please check it. If you have any questions, please contact me at any time. Thank you. Best regards, Chen Jie.
High-Utility Email Words Table
| Hanzi | Pinyin | Meaning | Example (ZH) | Example (Pinyin) | Translation (EN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 电子邮件 | diànzǐ yóujiàn | 我刚刚发了电子邮件。 | wǒ gānggāng fā le diànzǐ yóujiàn. | I just sent an email. | |
| 主题 | zhǔtí | subject line | 请把主题写清楚。 | qǐng bǎ zhǔtí xiě qīngchu. | Please write the subject clearly. |
| 附件 | fùjiàn | attachment | 邮件里有附件。 | yóujiàn lǐ yǒu fùjiàn. | There is an attachment in the email. |
| 回复 | huífù | reply | 请尽快回复我。 | qǐng jǐnkuài huífù wǒ. | Please reply to me as soon as possible. |
| 确认 | quèrèn | confirm | 我想确认一下时间。 | wǒ xiǎng quèrèn yíxià shíjiān. | I want to confirm the time. |
| 安排 | ānpái | arrangement / arrange | 会议安排已经 changed? no Chinese only.会议安排已经确定。 | huìyì ānpái yǐjīng quèdìng. | The meeting arrangement has already been confirmed. |
| 通知 | tōngzhī | inform / notify | 请通知我结果。 | qǐng tōngzhī wǒ jiéguǒ. | Please inform me of the result. |
| 联系 | liánxì | contact | 有问题可以联系我。 | yǒu wèntí kěyǐ liánxì wǒ. | You can contact me if there are questions. |
| Hanzi | Pinyin | Meaning | Example (ZH) | Example (Pinyin) | Translation (EN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 请假 | qǐngjià | ask for leave | 我想请假一天。 | wǒ xiǎng qǐngjià yì tiān. | I would like to take one day off. |
| 申请 | shēnqǐng | apply / application | 这是我的申请。 | zhè shì wǒ de shēnqǐng. | This is my application. |
| 资料 | zīliào | materials / information | 麻烦您把资料发给我。 | máfan nín bǎ zīliào fā gěi wǒ. | Please send me the materials. |
| 文件 | wénjiàn | document / file | 文件已经发出去了。 | wénjiàn yǐjīng fā chūqù le. | The file has already been sent. |
| 简历 | jiǎnlì | résumé | 附件是我的简历。 | fùjiàn shì wǒ de jiǎnlì. | The attachment is my résumé. |
| 面试 | miànshì | interview | 我想确认面试时间。 | wǒ xiǎng quèrèn miànshì shíjiān. | I want to confirm the interview time. |
| 理解 | lǐjiě | understanding | 谢谢您的理解。 | xièxie nín de lǐjiě. | Thank you for your understanding. |
| 方便 | fāngbiàn | convenient | 如果方便的话，请今天回复。 | rúguǒ fāngbiàn de huà, qǐng jīntiān huífù. | If convenient, please reply today. |
Formal Vs Casual Closing Lines
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | When To Use It |
|---|---|---|---|
| 谢谢 | xièxie | thanks | neutral and safe |
| 感谢您的帮助 | gǎnxiè nín de bāngzhù | thank you for your help | formal and appreciative |
| 期待您的回复 | qīdài nín de huífù | looking forward to your reply | when you need an answer |
| 祝好 | zhù hǎo | best regards | clean, professional closing |
| 此致敬礼 | cǐzhì jìnglǐ | sincerely / with respect | very formal, slightly old-school |
Good to know: 此致敬礼 cǐzhì jìnglǐ is correct, but it can feel more formal than many everyday emails need. It shows up a lot in textbooks because textbooks love drama. In normal modern email, 谢谢 xièxie, 感谢 gǎnxiè, and 祝好 zhù hǎo are often enough.
Common Mistakes And Easy Fixes
- Using 你好 nǐ hǎo with a professor, client, or manager in the first email.
Better: 您好 nín hǎo. - Skipping self-introduction.
Better: 我是…… wǒ shì…… — I am… - Writing a giant paragraph.
Better: one purpose per sentence. Chinese email writing likes clarity. - Forgetting the subject line.
Better: use a clear topic like 面试时间确认 miànshì shíjiān quèrèn — interview time confirmation. - Being too blunt.
Not great: 给我回复 gěi wǒ huífù — reply to me.
Better: 麻烦您回复我一下 máfan nín huífù wǒ yíxià — could you please reply to me. - Using super fancy words you do not control.
Better: simple and natural beats accidentally sounding like a government memo.
Practice Section
Try reading these and saying what each one does in the email.
- 我写这封邮件是想确认明天的安排。
wǒ xiě zhè fēng yóujiàn shì xiǎng quèrèn míngtiān de ānpái.
Meaning: I am writing this email to confirm tomorrow’s arrangement. - 如果方便的话，请您下午三点前回复。
rúguǒ fāngbiàn de huà, qǐng nín xiàwǔ sān diǎn qián huífù.
Meaning: If convenient, please reply before 3 p.m. - 附件是申请表，请查收。
fùjiàn shì shēnqǐng biǎo, qǐng cháshōu.
Meaning: The attachment is the application form; please check it.
Now swap the purpose and make your own sentence:
- 我写这封邮件是想……
wǒ xiě zhè fēng yóujiàn shì xiǎng…… - 麻烦您……
máfan nín…… - 谢谢您的……
xièxie nín de……
Quick Reference Summary
- 主题 zhǔtí — subject line
- 您好 nín hǎo — safe formal greeting
- 我是…… wǒ shì…… — introduce yourself
- 我写这封邮件是想…… wǒ xiě zhè fēng yóujiàn shì xiǎng…… — state your reason
- 麻烦您…… máfan nín…… — polite request
- 附件是…… fùjiàn shì…… — mention the attachment
- 谢谢 / 感谢 xièxie / gǎnxiè — thanks
- 祝好 zhù hǎo — professional sign-off
A Final Yak Box
The best Chinese email is usually not the fanciest one. It is the one that clearly says who you are, why you are writing, what you need, and how the other person can respond. That is not boring. That is useful. Useful wins.
FAQ
Should I use 您好 nín hǎo or 你好 nǐ hǎo?
Use 您好 nín hǎo when the email is formal, respectful, or first contact. Use 你好 nǐ hǎo when the relationship is more casual.
Is 此致敬礼 cǐzhì jìnglǐ necessary?
No. 此致敬礼 cǐzhì jìnglǐ is correct but very formal. In many everyday emails, 谢谢 xièxie, 感谢 gǎnxiè, or 祝好 zhù hǎo sound more natural.
How do I say “please see attached” in Chinese?
A common choice is 附件请查收 fùjiàn qǐng cháshōu — please check the attachment. Another simple option is 附件是…… fùjiàn shì…… — the attachment is…
