shōujiànrén: 收件人 - Recipient, Addressee

• Keywords: shoujianren, 收件人, recipient in Chinese, addressee in Chinese, how to say recipient in Mandarin, Chinese for recipient, email recipient Chinese, package recipient, sender and recipient in Chinese, mail recipient, Chinese address format.
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word 收件人 (shōujiànrén), which means “recipient” or “addressee”. This term is crucial for everyday tasks like sending emails, mailing packages, and online shopping in the Chinese-speaking world. This guide will break down the characters, explain its practical use on platforms like Taobao, and show you how to correctly format a Chinese address for the 收件人 to avoid common mistakes.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shōu jiàn rén
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: N/A
• Concise Definition: The person who receives a letter, email, package, or other delivered item.
• In a Nutshell: 收件人 (shōujiànrén) is a straightforward and functional word. Think of it as the name you write on the “To:” line of an email or the “Deliver To:” section of a shipping label. It's a combination of “receive,” “item,” and “person,” literally meaning “the person who receives the item.” There's no deep metaphorical meaning; it's a practical term for a practical purpose.

• 收 (shōu): To receive, to accept, or to collect. Imagine a hand reaching out to collect something owed or sent to you.
• 件 (jiàn): A measure word for items, documents, letters, or luggage. It refers to a single, distinct item or piece of correspondence.
• 人 (rén): Person. This character is a simple pictogram of a person walking.

When you put them together, 收 (receive) + 件 (item) + 人 (person) creates the unambiguous meaning: “the receive-item person.”

While 收件人 itself is a functional term, its use highlights a key cultural difference in how information is structured: the “Big to Small” principle. In Western cultures, an address is typically written from the most specific detail to the most general: John Smith (Recipient) → 123 Main Street → Anytown, CA → 91234 → USA In China, the opposite is true. The address starts with the largest geographical unit and drills down to the most specific, with the 收件人 coming last. This reflects a broader cultural tendency to see the collective or context before the individual. A typical Chinese address format: 中国 (Country) → 广东省 (Province) → 深圳市 (City) → 南山区 (District) → 科技路1号 (Street & Number) → 张伟 (收件人 - Recipient's Name) Understanding this is crucial for anyone sending mail or packages in China. The 收件人 is the final point of a funnel that starts with the entire country.

You will encounter 收件人 constantly in modern digital and logistical life.

• Email (电子邮件 diànzǐ yóujiàn): The “To:” field in any Chinese-language email client is labeled 收件人. Related fields are 抄送 (chāosòng) for “Cc” and 密送 (mìsòng) for “Bcc.”
• Online Shopping (网购 wǎnggòu): When you check out on Taobao, JD.com, or Pinduoduo, you must fill in the 收件人's details. This will always include 收件人姓名 (shōujiànrén xìngmíng) - Recipient's Name, and 收件人电话 (shōujiànrén diànhuà) - Recipient's Phone Number, which is essential for the delivery driver to contact them.
• Couriers and Post (快递 kuàidì / 邮局 yóujú): When sending a document or package via a courier like SF Express (顺丰) or the China Post (中国邮政), the waybill (快递单) will have a clearly marked section for 收件人 information.

The term is neutral in tone and standard in formality, used everywhere from casual emails to official legal documents.

• Example 1:
  • 请问，这封信的收件人是谁？
  • Pinyin: Qǐngwèn, zhè fēng xìn de shōujiànrén shì shéi?
  • English: Excuse me, who is the recipient of this letter?
  • Analysis: A basic and polite question you might ask at a reception desk or post office.
• Example 2:
  • 请把收件人的地址写清楚。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng bǎ shōujiànrén de dìzhǐ xiě qīngchǔ.
  • English: Please write the recipient's address clearly.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses the 把 (bǎ) construction to emphasize the action's effect on the object (the recipient's address).
• Example 3:
  • 我需要收件人的电话号码才能寄快递。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xūyào shōujiànrén de diànhuà hàomǎ cáinéng jì kuàidì.
  • English: I need the recipient's phone number in order to send the package.
  • Analysis: This highlights a critical piece of information for modern deliveries in China.
• Example 4:
  • 你忘了在邮件里添加收件人了。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ wàng le zài yóujiàn lǐ tiānjiā shōujiànrén le.
  • English: You forgot to add a recipient in the email.
  • Analysis: A common situation when using email. The final 了 (le) indicates the completion of the action (or in this case, the realization that it wasn't done).
• Example 5:
  • 收件人一栏请填写您的真实姓名。
  • Pinyin: Shōujiànrén yī lán qǐng tiánxiě nín de zhēnshí xìngmíng.
  • English: In the recipient column, please fill in your real name.
  • Analysis: This is formal language you would see on a form. 一栏 (yī lán) means “the column/field,” and 填写 (tiánxiě) means “to fill in (a form).”
• Example 6:
  • 快递员正在确认收件人的身份。
  • Pinyin: Kuàidìyuán zhèngzài quèrèn shōujiànrén de shēnfèn.
  • English: The delivery person is confirming the recipient's identity.
  • Analysis: 正在 (zhèngzài) indicates an action in progress. This is common for high-value deliveries.
• Example 7:
  • 如果收件人不在家，包裹会怎么办？
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ shōujiànrén bù zài jiā, bāoguǒ huì zěnme bàn?
  • English: If the recipient isn't home, what will happen to the package?
  • Analysis: A practical question about logistics. 会怎么办 (huì zěnme bàn) is a common way to ask “what will be done?” or “what will happen?”
• Example 8:
  • 系统显示收件人已签收。
  • Pinyin: Xìtǒng xiǎnshì shōujiànrén yǐ qiānshōu.
  • English: The system shows that the recipient has already signed for it.
  • Analysis: This is language you'd see on a tracking website. 已 (yǐ) is a formal way to say “already,” and 签收 (qiānshōu) means “to sign for receipt.”
• Example 9:
  • 这封邮件有多个收件人，包括整个部门。
  • Pinyin: Zhè fēng yóujiàn yǒu duō ge shōujiànrén, bāokuò zhěnggè bùmén.
  • English: This email has multiple recipients, including the entire department.
  • Analysis: Shows how the term can be used with numbers or qualifiers like 多个 (duō ge - many/multiple).
• Example 10:
  • 我是发件人，不是收件人。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ shì fājiànrén, bù shì shōujiànrén.
  • English: I am the sender, not the recipient.
  • Analysis: A simple sentence directly contrasting the term with its antonym, 发件人 (fājiànrén).

• Mistake 1: Confusing Sender and Recipient.
  • This is the most common pitfall. The recipient is 收件人 (shōujiànrén). The sender is 发件人 (fājiànrén) (used more for emails) or 寄件人 (jìjiànrén) (used more for physical mail).
  • Incorrect: 我是收件人，我要寄这个包裹。(Wǒ shì shōujiànrén, wǒ yào jì zhège bāoguǒ.) → “I am the recipient, I want to send this package.” (This is contradictory).
  • Correct: 我是寄件人，我要寄这个包裹。(Wǒ shì jìjiànrén, wǒ yào jì zhège bāoguǒ.) → “I am the sender, I want to send this package.”
• Mistake 2: Using a “False Friend” like 接收人 (jiēshōurén).
  • While `接收 (jiēshōu)` also means “to receive,” the standard, universally understood term for mail and packages is 收件人. The term `接收人 (jiēshōurén)` is much less common and sounds more formal or technical, like the “receiver” of assets in a legal transfer or the “recipient” of a data transmission. For everyday mail, stick to 收件人.
• Mistake 3: Getting the Address Order Wrong.
  • As mentioned in the cultural section, always write the address from Big to Small before writing the 收件人's name. Putting the recipient's name first, as in English, is a common mistake that can confuse postal workers and delay your delivery.

• `发件人 (fājiànrén)` - Sender (of an email). The direct antonym.
• `寄件人 (jìjiànrén)` - Sender (of physical mail/package). Also an antonym, more specific to physical items.
• `收货人 (shōuhuòrén)` - Consignee, recipient of goods. Very similar to 收件人, but specifically emphasizes commercial goods (货 huò) rather than general items or letters (件 jiàn). Often used in business and freight.
• `地址 (dìzhǐ)` - Address. The location information for the 收件人.
• `包裹 (bāoguǒ)` - Package, parcel. The object that the 收件人 receives.
• `快递 (kuàidì)` - Express delivery service, courier. The company that brings the item to the 收件人.
• `电子邮件 (diànzǐ yóujiàn)` - Email. A primary context where the term 收件人 is used digitally.
• `抄送 (chāosòng)` - Cc (Carbon Copy). A secondary type of recipient in an email.
• `签名 (qiānmíng)` - Signature. What the 收件人 often provides upon receipt to confirm delivery.
• `运单号 (yùndānhào)` - Tracking Number. The number used to track the package's journey to the 收件人.