====== jì: 寄 - To Mail, Send, Entrust, Lodge ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  *   **Keywords:** 寄, jì, send Chinese, mail Chinese, Chinese for send, how to say mail in Chinese, jì xìn, jì bāoguǒ, 寄托, 寄宿, entrust Chinese, lodge in Chinese.
  *   **Summary:** Learning how to use **寄 (jì)** is essential for everyday tasks in China, like how to **mail a letter (寄信)** or **send a package**. But this versatile Chinese character goes much deeper, also meaning to **entrust** your hopes (**寄托**) or to **lodge** somewhere temporarily (**寄宿**). This guide covers all meanings of **寄 (jì)**, helping you understand how to use this common verb in both practical and cultural contexts, from sending mail to expressing deep emotions.
===== Core Meaning =====
  *   **Pinyin (with tone marks):** jì
  *   **Part of Speech:** Verb
  *   **HSK Level:** HSK 3
  *   **Concise Definition:** To send something via a third-party service (like mail); to entrust; to lodge temporarily.
  *   **In a Nutshell:** At its heart, **寄 (jì)** is about giving something over to someone or something else for safekeeping or transport. Whether you're **寄**-ing a package to a friend, **寄**-ing your hopes on your children's future, or **寄**-ing yourself in a dormitory at a new school, the core idea is placing something or someone in the care of another.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  *   **寄 (jì):** This character is a combination of two parts:
    *   Top: **宀 (mián)** - This is the "roof" radical, symbolizing a house or dwelling.
    *   Bottom: **奇 (qí)** - This character means "strange" or "unusual". It acts as the phonetic component here, but we can use it to create a story.
  *   **Combined Meaning:** Imagine a "strange" or unfamiliar item being left under someone else's "roof". This perfectly captures the idea of entrusting something to a post office (another 'house') to be sent, or a person temporarily lodging in a new place (a 'strange' person under a new 'roof').
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
  *   In Chinese culture, **寄 (jì)** carries significant emotional weight beyond its practical use for mailing things. The concept of **寄托 (jìtuō)**—entrusting feelings or hopes—is particularly profound. It reflects a tendency to place deep, often unspoken, emotions or aspirations onto an object, a person, or an artistic creation. A scholar might **寄托** his love for his homeland in a poem; a parent **寄托** all their dreams for success in their child.
  *   **Comparison to Western Culture:** This is different from the Western idea of simply "expressing" feelings. **寄托 (jìtuō)** is more like investing or depositing your emotions into a vessel that will hold and represent them for you. While an American might "channel their anger into exercise," a Chinese person might **寄托** their feelings of melancholy (愁) in the act of drinking wine or gazing at the moon. It's a more passive and symbolic act of entrustment. This reflects a cultural value of indirectness and finding external repositories for powerful internal feelings.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
**寄 (jì)** is a very common verb used in several distinct modern contexts.
=== 1. Mailing and Sending ===
This is the most frequent use of **寄**. It specifically refers to sending something via a postal or courier service.
  *   **Mailing a letter:** 寄信 (jì xìn)
  *   **Sending a package:** 寄包裹 (jì bāoguǒ)
  *   **Sending via express delivery:** 寄快递 (jì kuàidì)
=== 2. Entrusting Hopes and Feelings ===
This usage is more abstract and emotional. It's often seen in writing and heartfelt conversations.
  *   **Placing hope in someone/something:** 寄希望于... (jì xīwàng yú...)
  *   **Entrusting feelings/thoughts:** 寄托 (jìtuō)
=== 3. Temporary Lodging ===
This refers to living somewhere temporarily, under someone else's roof.
  *   **Boarding at a school:** 寄宿 (jìsù)
  *   **To lodge with someone:** 寄居 (jìjū)
===== Example Sentences =====
  *   **Example 1:**
    *   我明天要去邮局**寄**一个包裹。
    *   Pinyin: Wǒ míngtiān yào qù yóujú **jì** yí ge bāoguǒ.
    *   English: I need to go to the post office tomorrow to mail a package.
    *   Analysis: This is the most common, literal use of **寄**. Note the use of 邮局 (yóujú - post office) as the location.
  *   **Example 2:**
    *   这封信很重要，请你帮我**寄**一下。
    *   Pinyin: Zhè fēng xìn hěn zhòngyào, qǐng nǐ bāng wǒ **jì** yíxià.
    *   English: This letter is very important, could you please help me mail it?
    *   Analysis: A common and polite request. The phrase "一下 (yíxià)" softens the tone.
  *   **Example 3:**
    *   很多父母把希望**寄**托在孩子身上。
    *   Pinyin: Hěn duō fùmǔ bǎ xīwàng **jì**tuō zài háizi shēnshang.
    *   English: Many parents place their hopes in their children.
    *   Analysis: This shows the abstract meaning of "entrusting". The structure "把 A 寄托在 B 身上" (bǎ A jìtuō zài B shēnshang) is very common for this meaning.
  *   **Example 4:**
    *   他上的是一所**寄**宿学校。
    *   Pinyin: Tā shàng de shì yì suǒ **jì**sù xuéxiào.
    *   English: He attends a boarding school.
    *   Analysis: Here, **寄** is part of the compound word **寄宿 (jìsù)**, meaning to lodge or board.
  *   **Example 5:**
    *   你可以用顺丰**寄**，明天就能到。
    *   Pinyin: Nǐ kěyǐ yòng Shùnfēng **jì**, míngtiān jiù néng dào.
    *   English: You can send it via SF Express, it will arrive tomorrow.
    *   Analysis: This shows how **寄** is used with modern courier services (快递 - kuàidì), not just the traditional post office.
  *   **Example 6:**
    *   诗人把对故乡的思念**寄**托在诗歌里。
    *   Pinyin: Shīrén bǎ duì gùxiāng de sīniàn **jì**tuō zài shīgē lǐ.
    *   English: The poet entrusted his longing for his hometown to his poetry.
    *   Analysis: A great example of **寄托 (jìtuō)** being used for entrusting emotions into an object or art form.
  *   **Example 7:**
    *   战争期间，他们一家人**寄**居在亲戚家。
    *   Pinyin: Zhànzhēng qījiān, tāmen yì jiā rén **jì**jū zài qīnqi jiā.
    *   English: During the war, their family lodged with relatives.
    *   Analysis: **寄居 (jìjū)** specifically means to live somewhere temporarily, implying you are dependent on the host.
  *   **Example 8:**
    *   这些文件应该**寄**到哪个地址？
    *   Pinyin: Zhèxiē wénjiàn yīnggāi **jì** dào nǎge dìzhǐ?
    *   English: Which address should these documents be sent to?
    *   Analysis: A practical question you might ask in an office or when filling out a form.
  *   **Example 9:**
    *   有些藤蔓植物**寄**生在其他大树上。
    *   Pinyin: Yǒuxiē téngmàn zhíwù **jì**shēng zài qítā dà shù shàng.
    *   English: Some vine plants are parasitic on other large trees.
    *   Analysis: This shows the biological, scientific use of **寄** in the word **寄生 (jìshēng)**, meaning parasite or parasitic.
  *   **Example 10:**
    *   请把你的简历**寄**到我们公司的人力资源部。
    *   Pinyin: Qǐng bǎ nǐ de jiǎnlì **jì** dào wǒmen gōngsī de rénlì zīyuán bù.
    *   English: Please send your resume to our company's HR department.
    *   Analysis: This is a formal, written instruction. While email is common now (for which you'd use 发 fā), this phrasing is still used in formal job postings.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  *   **寄 (jì) vs. 送 (sòng): The Intermediary is Key**
    *   A very common mistake is to confuse **寄** with **送 (sòng)**.
    *   **寄 (jì):** Means to send //through a service//. There's always a third party involved, like a post office or courier.
    *   **送 (sòng):** Means to deliver something //in person//, to give as a gift, or to see someone off.
    *   **Correct:** 我要**寄**一个包裹给我朋友。(Wǒ yào **jì** yí ge bāoguǒ gěi wǒ péngyou.) - "I want to mail a package to my friend." (Using a service).
    *   **Correct:** 我要**送**一个礼物给我朋友。(Wǒ yào **sòng** yí ge lǐwù gěi wǒ péngyou.) - "I want to give a gift to my friend." (In person).
    *   **Incorrect:** 我要**寄**一个礼物给我朋友。(when you are giving it to them directly).
  *   **寄 (jì) vs. 发 (fā): Physical vs. Digital**
    *   In the digital age, this distinction is crucial.
    *   **寄 (jì):** Used for physical items.
    *   **发 (fā):** Used for electronic things. `发邮件` (fā yóujiàn - send an email), `发短信` (fā duǎnxìn - send a text message), `发微信` (fā wēixìn - send a WeChat message).
    *   **Correct:** 我给你**发**了邮件。(Wǒ gěi nǐ **fā** le yóujiàn.) - "I sent you an email."
    *   **Incorrect:** 我给你**寄**了邮件。(Wǒ gěi nǐ **jì** le yóujiàn.) - This sounds very strange and old-fashioned to a native speaker, as if you printed the email and mailed it.
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  *   [[邮寄]] (yóujì) - A more formal synonym for "to mail," often used in written contexts.
  *   [[寄托]] (jìtuō) - To entrust one's hopes or feelings to something or someone. A key concept related to **寄**.
  *   [[寄宿]] (jìsù) - To lodge or board, as in a **寄宿**学校 (boarding school).
  *   [[寄生]] (jìshēng) - To be parasitic, as in a **寄生**虫 (jìshēngchóng - parasite).
  *   [[快递]] (kuàidì) - Express delivery service. This is the service you use to **寄** things quickly.
  *   [[包裹]] (bāoguǒ) - A package or parcel. This is the object that you **寄**.
  *   [[收]] (shōu) - To receive. This is the direct antonym of **寄**. You **寄** a letter, and your friend **收**s the letter.
  *   [[发送]] (fāsòng) - To send, dispatch. A more formal term often used for both physical and digital dispatches (e.g., dispatching an email, dispatching goods). Often interchangeable with **发 (fā)** for digital items.