Key Facts
- 편지 (pyeonji) means letter.
- Part of speech: noun; origin: Sino-Korean.
- Register: Neutral; handwritten letters are often called 손편지.
- Level: A1.
- Hanja: 便紙 (便 convenience/message + 紙 paper).
Letter in Korean: What Does 편지 Mean?
편지 is a Sino-Korean word from 便紙, where 便 is glossed as convenience or message and 紙 means paper. It is neutral, and a handwritten letter is often called 손편지.
How Do You Pronounce 편지?
Two syllables, pyeon and ji. The first syllable glides from a y sound into eo, an open vowel with the lips relaxed, and then ends in ㄴ.
How Do You Use 편지 in a Sentence?
친구에게 편지를 써요.
I write a letter to my friend.
chinguege pyeonjireul sseoyo. 에게 marks the person the letter goes to, and 써요 is the verb to write. The object marker 를 follows 편지 as usual.
편지를 받았어요.
I received a letter.
pyeonjireul badasseoyo. 받았어요 is the past of receive. No sender is named: 받았어요 on its own tells you the speaker is the one who received it.
편지를 우체통에 넣었어요.
I put the letter in the mailbox.
pyeonjireul ucheotonge neoeosseoyo. The place 우체통에 holds the letter, and 넣었어요 means put in. It is a physical, postal act.
Common Word Combinations
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 편지를 쓰다 | to write a letter |
| 편지를 보내다 | to send a letter |
| 손편지 | handwritten letter |
| 편지 봉투 | letter envelope |
Write, send and the envelope are the postal verbs and nouns. 손편지 is the odd one out: it welds 손 hand onto 편지 to stress that it was written by hand.
Common Mistake
English uses "letter" for two things, and learners carry that over.
- Wrong: 편지 for a letter of the alphabet
- Right: 글자 (a written character, such as one Hangul letter)
If you can put it in an envelope, it is 편지. If you can find it on a keyboard, it is 글자.
How Does 편지 Differ from Similar Words?
| Word | Meaning | How to tell it from 편지 |
|---|---|---|
| 이메일 | An electronic message. 편지 is on paper by default. | |
| 글자 | letter (character) | A character of the alphabet, not a message. |
At the Post Office: Sending a Letter
A customer has written a letter to a friend overseas. The clerk needs to know the destination.
Customer
이 편지를 보내고 싶어요.
I pyeonjireul bonaego sipeoyo.
I’d like to send this letter.
Clerk
어느 나라로 보내세요?
Eoneu nararo bonaeseyo?
Which country are you sending it to?
Customer
캐나다로 보내요.
Kaenadaro bonaeyo.
I’m sending it to Canada.
Clerk
여기에 주소를 써 주세요.
Yeogie jusoreul sseo juseyo.
Please write the address here.
The clerk asks about the country with 로, which marks the destination here. The customer uses 편지를 for the thing being sent. This separates the message from its route: the letter is the object, and Canada is where it is going.
Phrases for Writing, Sending and Replying
편지를 쓰다 means writing a letter. 편지를 보내다 means sending one. You can finish writing without having sent it, so the two verbs describe separate stages. 편지를 받다 is receiving a letter, the action on the other side of the exchange.
답장 means a reply. 답장을 쓰다 is writing back, and 답장을 기다리다 is waiting for a reply. The word is useful after both a paper letter and an electronic message. It tells you that a message answers an earlier one; it does not identify the delivery method by itself.
손편지 emphasizes writing by hand. 손 means hand, so the compound points to the personal effort of handwriting rather than typing. A printed letter put in an envelope is still a 편지, but calling it a 손편지 would suggest that it was handwritten.
팬레터 is a fan letter, and 연애편지 is a love letter. These names tell you the purpose or relationship behind the message. They are literal types of letters, rather than idioms about individual alphabet characters. A birthday note can also be a 편지 even if nobody posts it: you may put it inside a gift and hand it to the recipient.
How Do You Address Someone inside a Letter?
For a close friend, a simple opening is the friend's name followed by 에게, “to”. For a teacher or another respected recipient, 께 is the respectful counterpart. 선생님께 means “To my teacher”. This is the greeting inside the message; the postal address on the envelope still needs the recipient's delivery details.
At the end, 올림 after the writer's name is a respectful sign-off, often used when writing to a senior. A friendly letter can end more simply. Choose the wording for your relationship with the recipient: the neutral noun 편지 does not make the rest of the message automatically formal.
Where Will You Hear 편지?
In dramas, a character may find, read or hide a 편지. The word often points to a physical message that matters to the story. In everyday life, it appears around birthday cards, family messages, fan letters and post-office errands.
On an envelope, 보내는 사람 labels the sender and 받는 사람 labels the recipient. These are practical labels to recognize when you are sending a letter. They identify who sends and receives it, rather than describing what the letter says.
Related Words for a Postal Errand
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 봉투 | envelope | Holds the letter. |
| 우표 | postage stamp | Goes on mail that needs postage. |
| 주소 | address | Tells the postal service where to deliver it. |
| 우체국 | post office | The place to ask about sending mail. |
| 답장 | reply | The message someone writes back. |
The everyday objects lesson gives you the wider set of things around a letter, including paper and other household items.
Quick Self-Test
- Which word means a handwritten letter?
- Does 편지를 쓰다 mean the letter has already been sent?
- What is a reply called?
Show answers
- 손편지.
- No. It means writing; sending is 편지를 보내다.
- 답장.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does 편지 Mean?
A letter, meaning a written message.
What Is a Handwritten Letter?
It is 손편지.
Can 편지 Mean a Letter of the Alphabet?
No, that is 글자.
What Is the Hanja?
便紙, with 便 glossed as convenience or message and 紙 as paper.
Where to Go Next
See everyday objects vocabulary for more everyday items, and email for the digital cousin.