You want to give someone a birthday present, mail a package, or send a photo to a friend.

In English, you might use the word “send” in all three situations.

But in Chinese, should you say 送 (sòng), 寄 (jì), or 发 (fā)? 🤔

These three verbs are related, but each has a different focus.

Let’s see how they’re used in everyday Chinese!

Illustrated comparison of 送, 寄 and 发

🎁 1. 送 (sòng) — Give / Deliver / Take Someone Somewhere

Think: Giving something to someone or taking someone somewhere.

Use 送 when you’re giving a gift, delivering something, or accompanying someone to a place.

Example 1

我想送你一份生日礼物。

Wǒ xiǎng sòng nǐ yí fèn shēngrì lǐwù.

I want to give you a birthday present.

Example 2

我送你回家吧。

Wǒ sòng nǐ huí jiā ba.

Let me take you home.

Common expressions:

  • 送礼物 (sòng lǐwù) — give a gift

  • 送朋友去机场 (sòng péngyou qù jīchǎng) — take a friend to the airport

  • 送外卖 (sòng wàimài) — deliver food

💡 Remember: 送 doesn’t always mean “send.” It can also mean giving a gift or taking someone somewhere.

And you don’t have to give someone a present in person. You can 送 someone a gift even if you mail it to them!

Illustration of giving someone a gift

📮 2. 寄 (jì) — Mail / Send by Post or Courier

Think: Sending a physical item through a delivery service.

Use 寄 when you send letters, packages, or other items through the mail or a courier service.

Example 1

我给妈妈寄了一封信。

Wǒ gěi māma jì le yì fēng xìn.

I mailed my mom a letter.

Example 2

今天我要去寄快递。

Jīntiān wǒ yào qù jì kuàidì.

I’m going to send a package today.

Common expressions:

  • 寄信 (jì xìn) — mail a letter

  • 寄快递 (jì kuàidì) — send a package by courier

  • 寄明信片 (jì míngxìnpiàn) — mail a postcard

💡 Remember: 寄 focuses on the way something is sent, usually through a postal or courier service.

So, if you’re sending a package to a friend in another city, 寄快递 is a natural choice.

Illustration of posting a letter

📱 3. 发 (fā) — Send / Send Out

Think: Sending information or sending something out.

Use 发 when you send messages, photos, emails, or other information.

It’s one of the most useful verbs for online communication.

Example 1

你可以把照片发给我吗？

Nǐ kěyǐ bǎ zhàopiàn fā gěi wǒ ma?

Could you send me the photos?

Example 2

我刚给你发了一条消息。

Wǒ gāng gěi nǐ fā le yì tiáo xiāoxi.

I just sent you a message.

Common expressions:

  • 发消息 (fā xiāoxi) — send a message

  • 发照片 (fā zhàopiàn) — send photos

  • 发邮件 (fā yóujiàn) — send an email

💡 Remember: 发 is especially common for sending information, but it isn’t limited to digital communication.

You may also hear 发快递 (fā kuàidì) when someone talks about shipping packages.

Illustration of sending an email

📦 寄快递 vs 发快递 vs 送快递

Here’s a difference worth remembering!

Imagine someone orders a book online.

① 寄快递 (jì kuàidì) — Send a package

You take a package to a courier service to send it.

② 发快递 (fā kuàidì) — Ship a package

The seller ships the order.

③ 送快递 (sòng kuàidì) — Deliver packages

The courier delivers packages to customers.

All three expressions are natural, but they describe different parts of the delivery process.

Remember: 发快递 isn’t only used by sellers. The examples above simply show typical situations.

Illustration of a courier delivering a package

🤔 One Gift, Three Different Verbs!

Imagine you want to give a friend a book, but they live far away.

① 送 — Give a gift

我想送你一本书。

Wǒ xiǎng sòng nǐ yì běn shū.

I’d like to give you a book.

② 寄 — Mail the book

你住得远，我把书寄给你吧。

Nǐ zhù de yuǎn, wǒ bǎ shū jì gěi nǐ ba.

You live far away, so I’ll mail you the book.

③ 发 — Send a message

寄完以后，我会给你发消息。

Jì wán yǐhòu, wǒ huì gěi nǐ fā xiāoxi.

I’ll message you once I’ve mailed it.

See the difference? 😊

You’re giving a gift, mailing it, and sending a message about it!

Illustration comparing a mailed gift with a message

🎯 Quick Quiz: Which Word Fits?

Choose the most natural word: 送 / 寄 / 发.

1. You want to send your friend a photo on WeChat.

2. You want to mail a postcard to your family.

3. You want to give your teacher a small gift.

Illustration of sending a message on a phone

Answers ✅

① 发照片 (fā zhàopiàn) — Send a photo.

② 寄明信片 (jì míngxìnpiàn) — Mail a postcard.

③ 送礼物 (sòng lǐwù) — Give a gift.

How many did you get right? 😊

✨ A Simple Way to Remember

🎁 送 (sòng) — Give a gift / Deliver / Take someone somewhere

📮 寄 (jì) — Mail something / Send by courier

📱 发 (fā) — Send information / Send something out

Next time you want to say “send” in Chinese, ask yourself:

Am I giving something, mailing something, or sending information?

That simple question will help you choose the right verb in most everyday situations.

Happy learning! 📚

HelloMandarin | Practical Chinese for Everyday Life

Originally published on WeChat · 2026-10-20 · Jason Chinese tutor.