When we talk about "tejami" in Japanese, we're referring to a written message, specifically a letter. It's a straightforward term, much like its English counterpart.
Think of it as a physical letter you'd write and send to someone. While emails and other digital messages are common now, "tegami" still holds its place for formal communication or when you want to convey a more personal touch.
You'll often see it used in contexts where a physical document or a heartfelt message is exchanged.
てがみ en 30 secondes
- Written communication
- Sent to another person
- Often by post
Le savais-tu ?
The word for 'letter' in Japanese, てがみ (tegami), is a combination of two common kanji: 手 (te), meaning 'hand,' and 紙 (kami), meaning 'paper.' This clearly shows its origin as a handwritten message.
Exemples par niveau
てがみを かく。
to write a letter
おばあさんに てがみを だす。
to send a letter to my grandmother
てがみが とどく。
A letter arrives.
ともだちから てがみが きた。
A letter came from my friend.
このてがみは たいせつだ。
This letter is important.
てがみを よむ。
to read a letter
てがみの へんじを かく。
to write a reply to a letter
てがみを もらう。
to receive a letter
これは私が初めて書いた日本語の手紙です。
This is the first Japanese letter I wrote.
「〜が初めて〜」is a common pattern to express 'the first time doing something'.
彼からの手紙が届いた時、とても嬉しかったです。
I was very happy when I received a letter from him.
「〜が届く」means 'to arrive' or 'to be delivered', often used for mail.
この手紙は母が子供の頃に書いたものです。
This letter was written by my mother when she was a child.
「〜が〜頃に書いたもの」indicates 'something written by someone around a certain time'.
大切な手紙なので、なくさないように気をつけてください。
It's an important letter, so please be careful not to lose it.
「〜ように気をつける」means 'to be careful not to do something'.
彼女は毎日、遠く離れた家族に手紙を書いています。
She writes letters to her faraway family every day.
「〜に手紙を書く」is 'to write a letter to someone'.
手紙の返事を書くのが遅れてしまってすみません。
I'm sorry for being late in replying to your letter.
「〜が遅れてしまう」means 'to be delayed' or 'to be late'.
この古い手紙には、祖父の若い頃の夢が綴られています。
This old letter tells of my grandfather's dreams when he was young.
「〜が綴られている」means 'to be written about' or 'to be expressed in writing'.
デジタル化が進む現代でも、手紙の温かさは特別なものです。
Even in modern times with advancing digitalization, the warmth of a letter is special.
「〜が進む」means 'to advance' or 'to progress'. 「〜特別なもの」means 'something special'.
これは私が初めて書いた手紙です。懐かしいですね。
This is the first letter I ever wrote. It brings back memories.
初めて (hajimete) means 'for the first time'.
彼女からの手紙はいつも温かい気持ちにさせてくれる。
Her letters always make me feel warm.
気持ちにさせる (kimochi ni saseru) means 'to make one feel'.
古い手紙を整理していたら、たくさんの思い出が蘇ってきた。
While organizing old letters, many memories came flooding back.
〜ていたら (te itara) indicates 'while doing something'.
彼は亡くなった妻に宛てて、毎日手紙を書き続けているそうだ。
I heard he continues to write letters to his deceased wife every day.
〜に宛てて (ni atete) means 'addressed to'.
この手紙は、遠い故郷の家族からの便りだ。
This letter is news from my family in my distant hometown.
便り (tayori) can also mean 'news' or 'message'.
手紙のやり取りを通じて、私たちは友情を深めていった。
Through exchanging letters, we deepened our friendship.
やり取り (yaritori) means 'exchange'.
デジタル時代になっても、手書きの手紙には特別な魅力がある。
Even in the digital age, handwritten letters have a special charm.
〜になっても (ni nattemo) means 'even if it becomes/even in'.
彼の決断を伝える手紙には、強い意志が込められていた。
The letter conveying his decision was filled with strong determination.
込められている (komerarete iru) means 'is filled with/is put into'.
Collocations courantes
Phrases Courantes
かれはてがみをかいた。(Kare wa tegami o kaita.)
He wrote a letter.
きょうてがみをだしました。(Kyō tegami o dashimashita.)
I mailed a letter today.
ともだちからてがみがきました。(Tomodachi kara tegami ga kimashita.)
A letter came from my friend.
このてがみをよんでください。(Kono tegami o yonde kudasai.)
Please read this letter.
かのじょにてがみをわたした。(Kanojo ni tegami o watashita.)
I handed the letter to her.
てがみでへんじをする。(Tegami de henji o suru.)
To reply by letter.
てがみをかくのがすきです。(Tegami o kaku no ga suki desu.)
I like writing letters.
てがみをもういちどよんだ。(Tegami o mō ichido yonda.)
I read the letter one more time.
こどもからてがみをもらった。(Kodomo kara tegami o moratta.)
I received a letter from my child.
このてがみはたいせつです。(Kono tegami wa taisetsu desu.)
This letter is important.
Expressions idiomatiques
"ペンフレンド"
Pen pal, someone you exchange letters with.
ペンフレンドにてがみを書きます。 (I write letters to my pen pal.)
neutral"手紙を書く"
To write a letter.
友達に手紙を書きましょう。 (Let's write a letter to a friend.)
neutral"手紙を出す"
To mail a letter.
郵便局で手紙を出しました。 (I mailed the letter at the post office.)
neutral"手紙が届く"
A letter arrives.
彼からの手紙が今日届きました。 (A letter from him arrived today.)
neutral"手紙を読む"
To read a letter.
彼女は彼の書いた手紙を読みました。 (She read the letter he wrote.)
neutral"手紙を受け取る"
To receive a letter.
私は母から手紙を受け取りました。 (I received a letter from my mother.)
neutral"手紙を渡す"
To hand over a letter.
先生に手紙を渡してください。 (Please hand the letter to the teacher.)
neutral"お礼の手紙"
Thank-you letter.
お礼の手紙を書きました。 (I wrote a thank-you letter.)
neutral"ラブレター"
Love letter.
初めてラブレターをもらいました。 (I received my first love letter.)
informal"エアメール"
Airmail.
彼女にエアメールを送りました。 (I sent her an airmail letter.)
neutralAstuces
Learn the Kanji for てがみ
While てがみ is often written in hiragana, knowing its kanji, 手紙 (てがみ), will help you recognize it in more formal contexts and understand its components: 手 (て) means hand and 紙 (かみ) means paper.
てがみ vs. メール
In modern Japanese, てがみ specifically refers to a physical letter. For an email, the word is メール (meeru), which is a loanword from English.
Common phrases with てがみ
Practice common phrases like てがみをかく (tegami o kaku - to write a letter) and てがみをだす (tegami o dasu - to send a letter).
てがみ in compound words
You'll see てがみ in compounds like てがみセット (tegami setto - letter set) or てがみぶん (tegami bun - letter text).
Listen for てがみ
Listen for てがみ in Japanese songs, dramas, or anime. Pay attention to the context to understand how it's used naturally. For example, a character might say 「てがみをありがとう！」 (Tegami o arigato!) meaning "Thank you for the letter!"
Write your own てがみ
Practice writing a simple てがみ to a friend or family member. Even if it's just a few sentences, it will help solidify your understanding and usage of the word and relevant phrases.
Respect for てがみ
In Japanese culture, handwritten てがみ are often seen as a more personal and heartfelt form of communication compared to digital messages. It shows more effort and consideration from the sender.
Don't confuse with レター
While レター (reta-) also means letter (loanword), てがみ is the more common and traditional Japanese word for a physical letter. レター is sometimes used in more formal or business contexts, or for specific types of letters like 'love letter' (ラブレター).
Historical context of てがみ
Historically, てがみ were the primary means of long-distance communication. Understanding this can help you appreciate the word's significance in Japanese literature and history, where letters often played crucial roles in storytelling.
Use flashcards for てがみ
Create flashcards for てがみ, including its kanji, hiragana, English definition, and a simple example sentence. Regular review will help with retention.
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Imagine a 'tea ' (て) 'game ' (がみ) where you have to write letters on tea bags.
Association visuelle
Picture a stack of neatly written letters tied with a ribbon, perhaps with a traditional Japanese stamp, to help you remember 'tegami'.
Word Web
Défi
Try writing a short 'tegami' to a friend or family member in Japanese, even if it's just a few simple sentences. Focus on using the word 'tegami' in your writing.
Origine du mot
手 (te - hand) + 紙 (kami - paper)
Sens originel : A paper for the hand, or paper written by hand.
Sino-JapaneseContexte culturel
<p>In Japanese culture, handwritten letters (てがみ) hold a special significance, often used for important personal messages, thank you notes, or formal apologies. While digital communication is prevalent, sending a handwritten letter can demonstrate sincerity and effort.</p>
Teste-toi 48 questions
This sentence means 'I write a letter.' The particle 'は' (wa) marks the topic, 'を' (o) marks the direct object, and 'かきます' (kakimasu) is the verb 'to write'.
This sentence means 'He reads a letter.' 'かれ' (kare) means 'he', 'は' (wa) marks the topic, 'を' (o) marks the direct object, and 'よみます' (yomimasu) is the verb 'to read'.
This sentence means 'Is this a letter?' 'これ' (kore) means 'this', 'は' (wa) marks the topic, 'です' (desu) is a polite copula, and 'か' (ka) turns it into a question.
Which of these is a 'てがみ'?
「てがみ」specifically refers to a physical letter.
I want to write a 'てがみ' to my friend. What am I going to write?
「てがみ」is a personal written message.
If you send a 'てがみ', how is it usually delivered?
「てがみ」is sent through postal services.
An email is a type of 'てがみ'.
While both are written messages, 「てがみ」refers to a physical letter, not an email.
You can send a 'てがみ' using the post office.
「てがみ」are traditionally sent via postal services.
If someone gives you a 'てがみ', it means they are giving you a phone call.
「てがみ」is a written message, not a phone call.
Imagine you received a nice handwritten てがみ from a friend. Write a short reply thanking them and mentioning something you liked about their letter. Use simple Japanese.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
おてがみ、ありがとう。とてもうれしかったです。
You want to invite a Japanese friend to a party next week. Write a simple てがみ inviting them and telling them the day and time.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
こんにちは。来週、パーティーがあります。もしよかったら来てください。
Write a short てがみ to a family member who lives far away, telling them you are doing well and asking how they are.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
お元気ですか。私は元気です。お返事くださいね。
このてがみは誰からのものですか？
Read this passage:
これは私のおばあちゃんからのてがみです。とても長いてがみで、色々な話が書いてありました。おばあちゃんはいつもきれいな字でてがみを書きます。
このてがみは誰からのものですか？
The passage clearly states '私のおばあちゃんからのてがみです' (It's a letter from my grandmother).
The passage clearly states '私のおばあちゃんからのてがみです' (It's a letter from my grandmother).
筆者はてがみをよく受け取りますか？
Read this passage:
私は毎日、郵便受けをチェックします。でも、てがみはあまり来ません。たいてい広告ばかりです。友達とはメールで話すことが多いです。
筆者はてがみをよく受け取りますか？
The passage says 'てがみはあまり来ません' (Letters don't come very often).
The passage says 'てがみはあまり来ません' (Letters don't come very often).
このてがみは何についてですか？
Read this passage:
田中さんへ こんにちは。お元気ですか。来週の土曜日に、一緒に映画を見に行きませんか。もしよかったら、返事をください。 山田より
このてがみは何についてですか？
The letter asks '一緒に映画を見に行きませんか' (Would you like to go see a movie together?).
The letter asks '一緒に映画を見に行きませんか' (Would you like to go see a movie together?).
Choose the correct particle to complete the sentence: 彼は友達___てがみを書きました。
When writing a letter to someone, the particle 'に' (ni) is used to indicate the recipient.
Which verb best fits the sentence: 彼女は長い___てがみを受け取りました。
The verb '読む' (yomu - to read) is the most appropriate verb to use when talking about receiving and understanding a letter.
Select the correct way to say 'I will send a letter tomorrow.'
'送ります' (okurimasu) means 'to send'.
You typically use 'てがみ' to refer to an email.
'てがみ' (tegami) specifically refers to a physical letter. Emails are usually called 'メール' (meeru).
It is common to receive 'てがみ' from a close friend these days.
While not impossible, it is less common for close friends to send physical letters ('てがみ') in modern times, with most communication being digital.
A handwritten message from a family member could be described as 'てがみ'.
A handwritten message from a family member directly fits the definition of 'てがみ' as a written message from one person to another.
The speaker wrote something to a friend.
Something arrived from her.
Someone wrote this item.
Read this aloud:
「てがみ」を使って、友達にメッセージを送る状況を説明してください。
Focus: てがみ (te-ga-mi)
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
日本語で「家族にてがみを書く」と言ってみましょう。
Focus: 家族 (ka-zo-ku), 書く (ka-ku)
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
「手紙」という言葉を使って、どんな種類のメッセージについて話しますか？
Focus: どんな種類 (don-na shu-rui)
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This is a letter from her.
It took time to write and send the letter.
This letter contains important information.
Read this aloud:
親しい友人に手紙を書くことは、感情を伝える良い方法です。
Focus: てがみ
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
彼女からの手紙を読んで、とても感動しました。
Focus: てがみ
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
大切な手紙は必ず自分で郵便局に持っていきます。
Focus: てがみ
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence: 彼の書いた___は、読み手の心を深く揺さぶった。
The sentence implies a personal and emotionally impactful written communication, which 'てがみ' (letter) fits best.
Which of the following phrases best describes the intent of sending a 'てがみ' in a formal context?
While 'てがみ' can convey various messages, in a formal context, it's often used for heartfelt expressions like gratitude, making it more personal than the other options.
Select the sentence where 'てがみ' is used in a figurative sense.
In this sentence, 'てがみ' is used metaphorically to represent a message or insight from the past, not a literal written letter.
「てがみ」は、現代では主にビジネス文書として使用される。
While letters exist in business, 'てがみ' generally refers to personal, often handwritten, correspondence, not primarily formal business documents.
親しい友人との間で交わされる「てがみ」は、形式的な敬語を避ける傾向がある。
In casual communication between close friends, the use of highly formal honorifics (敬語) in letters ('てがみ') is typically reduced or absent.
緊急性の高い情報を伝える手段として、「てがみ」は最も効率的である。
Due to its physical delivery, 'てがみ' is generally not the most efficient method for conveying urgent information compared to digital communication.
This sentence translates to 'He wrote a letter to her.' In Japanese, the typical sentence structure places the indirect object (彼女に - to her) before the direct object (てがみ - letter).
This means 'I read an old letter.' The subject (私は - I) usually comes first, followed by the adjective (古い - old) modifying the noun (てがみ - letter), and then the verb (読んだ - read).
This translates to 'I sent a letter to my friend.' Similar to the first example, the indirect object (友達に - to my friend) comes before the direct object (てがみ - letter).
/ 48 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
てがみ is the common Japanese word for 'letter' or 'written message'.
- Written communication
- Sent to another person
- Often by post
Learn the Kanji for てがみ
While てがみ is often written in hiragana, knowing its kanji, 手紙 (てがみ), will help you recognize it in more formal contexts and understand its components: 手 (て) means hand and 紙 (かみ) means paper.
てがみ vs. メール
In modern Japanese, てがみ specifically refers to a physical letter. For an email, the word is メール (meeru), which is a loanword from English.
Common phrases with てがみ
Practice common phrases like てがみをかく (tegami o kaku - to write a letter) and てがみをだす (tegami o dasu - to send a letter).
てがみ in compound words
You'll see てがみ in compounds like てがみセット (tegami setto - letter set) or てがみぶん (tegami bun - letter text).
Exemple
友達に手紙を書きました。
Contenu associé
Ce mot dans d'autres langues
Plus de mots sur communication
について
A2about; concerning
宛先
B1The address or name of the recipient to whom mail or an email is sent.
番地
A2House number
賛同
B1Approval, endorsement; support or agreement with an idea.
~も
A2Too, also.
〜そして
A1And then; and (used to connect sentences or clauses).
〜や
A2And; and so forth (used to list examples, implying others exist).
たり
A2Indicates a non-exhaustive list of actions/states ('and so on').
お知らせ
B1Notice; an announcement or communication.
答え
A2A thing said, written, or done as a reaction to a question or statement.
