Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 投遞 / 投递 | tóudì |
| 傳遞 / 传递 | chuándì |
| 交貨 / 交货 | jiāohuò |
| 遞送 / 递送 | dìsòng |
The term 'delivery' in Chinese varies significantly based on what is being delivered. It can refer to the conveyance of mail, the transmission of abstract concepts like information, the commercial hand-over of products or the general act of passing along parcels.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 交貨 / 交货 literally means 'hand over goods', combining 交 (to hand over or exchange) and 貨 (goods or merchandise). The term 投遞 / 投递 literally means 'throw and deliver', combining 投 (to throw or cast) and 遞 (to hand over or pass), which implies the process of casting mail into a delivery system.
Which one should you use?
Choosing the right word depends on the object being delivered:
– Use 投遞 / 投递 specifically for the delivery of mail, letters or official documents. – Use 交貨 / 交货 in a commercial or business context to refer to the delivery of physical goods or products to a customer. – Use 傳遞 / 传递 for the delivery or transmission of abstract things, such as information, messages, signals, emotions or warmth. – Use 遞送 / 递送 as a general term for the act of handing over or delivering items, often used for parcels or small goods.
How do you pronounce it?
tóudì
Did you know?
- The concept of 'delivery' for a baby in Chinese is not expressed by these terms, but by 分娩 or 生產, as the language treats childbirth as a process of 'production' rather than 'conveyance'.
- In modern China, the culture of 外賣 (food delivery) is so pervasive that some cities have designated 'delivery zones' and special parking for riders to prevent sidewalk congestion.
- The character 投 in 投遞 is the same character used in the word for 'voting' (投票), as both originally involved 'casting' or 'throwing' a slip of paper.
Examples in context
- 请问，你们有送餐服务吗？Excuse me, do you offer food delivery?
- 我需要寄一封信，可以用哪个快递公司寄送？I need to mail a letter, which courier company can I use for delivery?
- 请您将包裹寄送至以下地址，谢谢！Please send the package to the following address. Thank you!
- 你好，请帮我送一份番茄炒饭到办公室，谢谢！Hello, please help me deliver a portion of tomato fried rice to the office. Thank you!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “delivery” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
