郵便

• Reading: ゆうびん
• Romaji: yuubin
• Kanji breakdown: 郵 (yuu) — mail, postal; 便 (bin) — convenience, service
• Pronunciation: /jɯː.bi.n/

Meaning

Mail; postal service. The system of sending and delivering letters and packages.

A noun for the postal system and mail in general. Central to many everyday compounds: 郵便局 (yuubinkyoku, post office), 郵便番号 (yuubin bangou, postal/zip code), 郵便受け (yuubinuke, mailbox for receiving), 郵便配達 (yuubin haitatsu, mail delivery). Despite the rise of digital communication, still widely used in daily life.

Examples

1. 郵便局で荷物を送った。 I sent a package at the post office.
2. まだ郵便が届いていないみたいだ。 It looks like the mail hasn't arrived yet.
3. 郵便番号を書き忘れないでください。 Please don't forget to write the zip code.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, post office, communication

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 郵 (yuu, mail/relay station) and 便 (bin, convenience/service). The modern postal system in Japan was established in 1871 by Maejima Hisoka, modeled after the British system.

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji era

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal