Chinese · Upper intermediate (B2) · Chapter 10 of 12
Formal writing
正式的信Zhèngshì de xìn
Write a formal email or letter in Chinese: 尊敬的 and 此致 敬礼, written words like 鉴于, 予以 and 以便, and connectors such as 此外 and 然而.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Lay out a formal email or letter from greeting to signature
- Use written words: 至今, 鉴于, 予以, 以便, 之, 其
- Link ideas in writing with 此外, 然而 and 因此
- Write a polite but firm complaint
Listen
In Nanjing, Xie Min helps her neighbour Mr Tang, 72, write an email to the property management company about a broken lift. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Mr Tang
小谢，又麻烦你了。我们这栋楼的电梯坏了快两个星期了，我想给物业写封邮件投诉一下，可我不会写正式的信。
Xiǎo Xiè, yòu máfan nǐ le. Wǒmen zhè dòng lóu de diàntī huàile kuài liǎng ge xīngqī le, wǒ xiǎng gěi wùyè xiě fēng yóujiàn tóusù yíxià, kě wǒ bú huì xiě zhèngshì de xìn.
Xiao Xie, sorry to bother you again. The lift in our building has been broken for almost two weeks. I'd like to email the property management to complain, but I don't know how to write a formal letter.
Xie Min
唐叔叔，您别客气，我们一起写吧。开头就写“尊敬的物业管理处负责人：您好！”
Táng shūshu, nín bié kèqi, wǒmen yìqǐ xiě ba. Kāitóu jiù xiě “Zūnjìng de wùyè guǎnlǐchù fùzérén: nín hǎo!”
Don't mention it, Mr Tang. Let's write it together. Start with “Dear Manager of the Property Management Office, greetings.”
Mr Tang
好。然后呢？我想直接说：你们的电梯坏了这么久，怎么还不修？
Hǎo. Ránhòu ne? Wǒ xiǎng zhíjiē shuō: nǐmen de diàntī huàile zhème jiǔ, zěnme hái bù xiū?
Good. And then? I want to say straight out: your lift has been broken for so long, why haven't you fixed it?
Xie Min
意思对，但是要写得客气一点儿。可以这样：“本楼3号电梯自5月6日起出现故障，至今已近两周，仍未得到维修。”
Yìsi duì, dànshì yào xiě de kèqi yìdiǎnr. Kěyǐ zhèyàng: “Běn lóu sān hào diàntī zì wǔyuè liù rì qǐ chūxiàn gùzhàng, zhìjīn yǐ jìn liǎng zhōu, réng wèi dédào wéixiū.”
The meaning is right, but it should be a little more polite. How about: “Lift no. 3 in this building has been out of order since 6 May. It is now almost two weeks, and it has still not been repaired.”
Mr Tang
这么写听起来就正式多了。还要写我们的困难吧？我住十二楼，每天走楼梯上下，腿受不了。
Zhème xiě tīng qǐlai jiù zhèngshì duō le. Hái yào xiě wǒmen de kùnnan ba? Wǒ zhù shí'èr lóu, měi tiān zǒu lóutī shàngxià, tuǐ shòu bu liǎo.
Written like that it sounds much more formal. Should we also write about our difficulties? I live on the twelfth floor and take the stairs up and down every day. My legs can't take it.
Xie Min
对，要写具体情况。“楼内住户中有不少老年人，行动不便，日常出行受到很大影响。此外，住户已多次打电话反映，然而至今未收到任何答复。”
Duì, yào xiě jùtǐ qíngkuàng. “Lóu nèi zhùhù zhōng yǒu bù shǎo lǎoniánrén, xíngdòng búbiàn, rìcháng chūxíng shòudào hěn dà yǐngxiǎng. Cǐwài, zhùhù yǐ duō cì dǎ diànhuà fǎnyìng, rán'ér zhìjīn wèi shōudào rènhé dáfù.”
Yes, we should describe the actual situation. “Many residents of the building are elderly and have limited mobility, and their daily lives are seriously affected. In addition, residents have telephoned several times to report the problem; however, no reply has been received to date.”
Mr Tang
写得好！最后是不是要说我们希望他们怎么做？
Xiě de hǎo! Zuìhòu shì bu shì yào shuō wǒmen xīwàng tāmen zěnme zuò?
Well put! And at the end, should we say what we want them to do?
Xie Min
是的。“鉴于上述情况，请贵公司尽快安排维修，并予以书面答复，以便住户了解维修进度。”
Shì de. “Jiànyú shàngshù qíngkuàng, qǐng guì gōngsī jǐnkuài ānpái wéixiū, bìng yǔyǐ shūmiàn dáfù, yǐbiàn zhùhù liǎojiě wéixiū jìndù.”
Yes. “In view of the above, we ask that your company arrange repairs as soon as possible and reply in writing, so that residents can follow the progress of the repairs.”
Mr Tang
“予以”“鉴于”，这些词我只在报纸上见过。你们年轻人写东西还挺讲究。
“Yǔyǐ” “jiànyú”, zhèxiē cí wǒ zhǐ zài bàozhǐ shang jiànguo. Nǐmen niánqīngrén xiě dōngxi hái tǐng jiǎngjiu.
“Yǔyǐ”, “jiànyú”: I've only ever seen those words in the newspaper. You young people are rather particular about how you write.
Xie Min
我工作上天天写这种邮件，习惯了。结尾写“盼复”，就是希望对方回复，然后是“此致 敬礼”，最后写上您的名字、门牌号和日期。
Wǒ gōngzuò shang tiāntiān xiě zhè zhǒng yóujiàn, xíguàn le. Jiéwěi xiě “pànfù”, jiùshì xīwàng duìfāng huífù, ránhòu shì “cǐzhì jìnglǐ”, zuìhòu xiěshàng nín de míngzi, ménpáihào hé rìqī.
I write emails like this every day at work, so I'm used to it. At the end we write “pànfù”, meaning we look forward to a reply, then “cǐzhì jìnglǐ”, and finally your name, flat number and the date.
Mr Tang
好，我这就发。小谢，真是太谢谢你了，改天来家里吃饭。
Hǎo, wǒ zhè jiù fā. Xiǎo Xiè, zhēn shì tài xièxie nǐ le, gǎitiān lái jiā li chīfàn.
Right, I'll send it now. Xiao Xie, thank you so much. Come round for dinner one day.
Xie Min
不客气，唐叔叔。要是一个星期后还没有回复，我们就打市里的12345热线。
Bú kèqi, Táng shūshu. Yàoshi yí ge xīngqī hòu hái méiyǒu huífù, wǒmen jiù dǎ shì li de yāo èr sān sì wǔ rèxiàn.
You're welcome, Mr Tang. If there's still no reply in a week, we'll call the city's 12345 hotline.
Understand
The shape of a formal letter
A Chinese formal letter or email has fixed parts. It opens with the person addressed, usually (zūnjìng de), respected, + title, and a colon; then (nín hǎo!) on its own line. The body explains the situation, gives details and makes a request. It closes with a set phrase such as (pànfù), I look forward to your reply, or (tècǐ …), I hereby …
Last comes (cǐzhì jìnglǐ), “with respect”: in a letter, (cǐzhì) goes on its own line, indented, and (jìnglǐ) on the next line, at the left margin. Then your name and the date, on the right.
| Part | Example |
|---|---|
| greeting | (Zūnjìng de Wáng jīnglǐ:) |
| opening | (Nín hǎo!) |
| purpose | (Wǒ xiě xìn shì xiǎng fǎnyìng yí ge wèntí.) |
| request | (Qǐng guì gōngsī jǐnkuài chǔlǐ.) |
| closing phrase | (Pànfù.) / (Tècǐ tóusù.) |
| formula | (cǐzhì) … (jìnglǐ!) |
| signature and date | (Táng Míng) … (èr líng èr liù nián wǔyuè shíjiǔ rì) |
Written words
Formal writing uses short words from classical Chinese in place of everyday ones. You met (yú), (jiāng) and (qí) in chapter 6. (jiànyú), in view of, gives the reason for a request. (yǔyǐ), to give, goes before a two-syllable verb: (yǔyǐ dáfù), to reply; (yǔyǐ jiějué), to resolve. (yǐbiàn), so that, adds the purpose.
(zhī) is a written (de) in fixed phrases: (yuányīn zhī yī), one of the reasons. (běn) means “this”, as in (běn lóu), this building, and (guì) means “your” for an organisation, as in (guì gōngsī), your company.
| Everyday | Written | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| (dào xiànzài) | (zhìjīn) | until now, to date |
| (hái méiyǒu) | (réng wèi) | still not |
| (yīnwèi zhèxiē qíngkuàng) | (jiànyú shàngshù qíngkuàng) | in view of the above |
| (gěi wǒmen huífù) | (yǔyǐ dáfù) | to reply |
| (zhèyàng) … (néng) | (yǐbiàn) | so that |
| (kuài diǎnr) | (jǐnkuài) | as soon as possible |
| (zhège lóu) | (běn lóu) | this building |
Connectors for writing
Written Chinese links sentences with (cǐwài), in addition; (rán'ér), however; and (yīncǐ), therefore. (bìng) joins two verbs, “and also”: (qǐng jǐnkuài ānpái wéixiū, bìng yǔyǐ shūmiàn dáfù), please arrange repairs and reply in writing. In a chat with a neighbour, the same ideas would be (háiyǒu), (kěshì), (suǒyǐ) and (hái).
- 此外，楼道的灯也坏了。Cǐwài, lóudào de dēng yě huài le.In addition, the lights in the stairwell are also broken.
- 我们多次反映，然而问题至今仍未解决。Wǒmen duō cì fǎnyìng, rán'ér wèntí zhìjīn réng wèi jiějué.We have reported it many times; however, the problem has still not been solved.
- 鉴于电梯多次出现故障，建议予以更换。Jiànyú diàntī duō cì chūxiàn gùzhàng, jiànyì yǔyǐ gēnghuàn.In view of the lift's repeated breakdowns, we suggest that it be replaced.
More in the grammar: Spoken and written Chinese
New words
- 物业wùyèproperty management (company) · (wùyè guǎnlǐchù), property management office
- 投诉tóusùto complain (officially); complaint · (xiě yóujiàn tóusù), to complain by email; (yóujiàn), email; (fǎnyìng), to report (a problem)
- 电梯diàntīlift, elevator · (lóutī), stairs; (chūxiàn gùzhàng), to break down
- 尊敬的zūnjìng deDear … (formal greeting) · (zūnjìng de Wáng jīnglǐ:)
- 至今zhìjīnuntil now, to date (written)
- 维修wéixiūto repair, to maintain; repairs · more formal than (xiū)
- 此外cǐwàiin addition, besides (written)
- 然而rán'érhowever (written)
- 鉴于jiànyúin view of, considering (written)
- 尽快jǐnkuàias soon as possible
- 予以yǔyǐto give (formal, before a verb) · (yǔyǐ dáfù), to reply
- 以便yǐbiànso that, in order to (written)
- 盼复pànfùI look forward to your reply · at the end of a letter
- 此致 敬礼cǐzhì jìnglǐwith respect, yours faithfully · the closing formula of a formal letter
Practise
1.How do you start a formal email to Manager Wang?
2.Match each written word with its meaning.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
3.Write the request. Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.Please could your company arrange repairs as soon as possible.
4.Which is the written version of (diàntī dào xiànzài hái méi xiūhǎo)?
5.Which word fits? ___ (Zhùhù duō cì fǎnyìng, ___ zhìjīn wèi shōudào dáfù.)
0 of 5 exercises done.
Say it out loud
尊敬的物业负责人：您好！
Zūnjìng de wùyè fùzérén: nín hǎo!
Dear Property Manager, greetings.
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.