<p>From museum archives, we can see this phrase appears in lots of letters among family members, i.e., husband and wife. At least in these examples, writers and the receivers know well each other and have already seen handwriting before. So it definitely indicates closeness and has a fairly strong emotion.</p>
<p>In other words, it's NOT just politeness of a simple greeting, such as 'Yours', 'Regards' in English. It's weird if the letter is to a stranger.</p>
<p>Strictly speaking, this expression can only be used in the same generations. So you can use it if you write a letter to your sisters/brothers but not to your parents. In a preparation document for the college entrance exam, there is an example use of this phrase. Here is <a href="https://wenku.baidu.com/view/30e803487ed184254b35eefdc8d376eeafaa1714.html?fr=income12-wk_app_search_ctrX-search" rel="nofollow noreferrer">a link</a>!
It points out that it's incorrect if you use it to write a letter to your grandpa.</p>
<p>That said, the use of the phrase is pretty flexible nowadays. I see people use it in an email as a simple greeting. Given the fact that the phrase now is not commonly used, especially in handwriting letters, I think it's fine with both opinions.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-17T23:58:46.950Z
2022-05-18T00:00:57.173Z
2022-05-18T00:00:57.173Z
Laika
<p>Your understanding is partially correct. This phrase is used at the beginning of the letter to address the receiver.</p>
<p>The meaning of the phrase - &quot;see the letter as we've met&quot;, or &quot;see the letter as seeing me/each other&quot;, indicates the closeness/close relationships between the letter writer and the receiver, but does not necessarily have emotion attached (as a greeting).</p>
<p>If I didn't make mistake, the original phrase should be &quot;见字/信如晤(meet)” then.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-23T09:04:19.897Z
Do you have any source to back up the claim that the phrase is used to address people "who have a lower generation ranking than the letter writer"?
Betty
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-23T13:31:16.807Z
@Betty No. I don't. Revised.
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-24T20:00:19.577Z
@Betty I couldn't find any source that supports my comment, but after a long thought, I still stand by it. Because, though the sentence implies closeness and affection of the letter writer and the receiver, it lacks the "respect" aspect that is usually expected from a Chinese person who writes to their elders (長輩). But nevertheless, I revised my answer for it could be controversial.
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-25T03:04:58.407Z
Hi, I didn't mean to disagree. I'm just not sure about this, because I seldom encounter the phrase in real life. I'd be happy if some sources can be found to confirm it in either direction.
Betty
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-25T18:10:37.763Z
@Betty It is very important in choosing the right word or phrase when a Chinese person writes to his/her elder, for example, "近來**您**可安好" will replace "近來**你**可安好", which is generally used between people of the same generation but lacks the means of "respect/regard". Well, this is just a personal opinion maybe.
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-04-25T04:14:00.267Z
I could see @r13 view point. "closeness and affection" in the context of a past ultra conservative Chinese society only occur or "practiced" among peers with gender differentiation thrown in. Familial generational interactions in any form was frown upon and it was considered ill-mannered to address, spoken or in letters, an elder too informally, unlike now. So, I don't think your remark is that controversial.
Wayne Cheah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-22T20:01:45.527Z
2022-03-23T22:30:51.323Z
2022-03-23T22:30:51.323Z
r13
<p>What a nice day! I thought that the letterhead greeting maybe different from the different relationships/people, so there is no fixed translation in this case. For me, the translation is already answered in the letter! <em>v</em></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-23T08:49:36.957Z
2022-03-23T08:49:36.957Z
yueyue
<p>見字如面 sounds similar to <a href="https://zhidao.baidu.com/question/1771406807207372740.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">見字如見人</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>通过你的字可以看出你是怎么样的人...</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>People can tell who you are by your handwriting.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>A person's handwriting is like his face, it is recognizable and it leaves an impression</p>
<p>I don't believe it is a greeting. The one who read a letter from a friend might feel he is looking at his friend's face in the handwriting, but that's a reaction to the letter, the one who wrote the letter wouldn't presume it</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-25T16:04:13.130Z
2022-03-25T16:11:46.093Z
2022-03-25T16:11:46.093Z
Tang Ho
<p>As far as I know, I think &quot;见字如面” literally means when you see someone's letter, it's as if you were seeing him or her face to face. So I believe this word sort of indicates your familiarity with the letter guy and how glad you are when you receive his or her letter.</p>

<translation><meaning>
How to translate "见字如面” into English?
# How to translate "见字如面” into English?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-03-22)

As far as I know, I think "见字如面” literally means when you see someone's letter, it's as if you were seeing him or her face to face. So I believe this word sort of indicates your familiarity with the letter guy and how glad you are when you receive his or her letter.

**Tags:** translation, meaning


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## 4 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-05-17. Score: 4

From museum archives, we can see this phrase appears in lots of letters among family members, i.e., husband and wife. At least in these examples, writers and the receivers know well each other and have already seen handwriting before. So it definitely indicates closeness and has a fairly strong emotion.

In other words, it's NOT just politeness of a simple greeting, such as 'Yours', 'Regards' in English. It's weird if the letter is to a stranger.

Strictly speaking, this expression can only be used in the same generations. So you can use it if you write a letter to your sisters/brothers but not to your parents. In a preparation document for the college entrance exam, there is an example use of this phrase. Here is [a link](https://wenku.baidu.com/view/30e803487ed184254b35eefdc8d376eeafaa1714.html?fr=income12-wk_app_search_ctrX-search)!
It points out that it's incorrect if you use it to write a letter to your grandpa.

That said, the use of the phrase is pretty flexible nowadays. I see people use it in an email as a simple greeting. Given the fact that the phrase now is not commonly used, especially in handwriting letters, I think it's fine with both opinions.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2022-03-22. Score: 2

Your understanding is partially correct. This phrase is used at the beginning of the letter to address the receiver.

The meaning of the phrase - "see the letter as we've met", or "see the letter as seeing me/each other", indicates the closeness/close relationships between the letter writer and the receiver, but does not necessarily have emotion attached (as a greeting).

If I didn't make mistake, the original phrase should be "见字/信如晤(meet)” then.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Do you have any source to back up the claim that the phrase is used to address people "who have a lower generation ranking than the letter writer"?  
> **username_2**: @username_3 No. I don't. Revised.  
> **username_2**: @username_3 I couldn't find any source that supports my comment, but after a long thought, I still stand by it. Because, though the sentence implies closeness and affection of the letter writer and the receiver, it lacks the "respect" aspect that is usually expected from a Chinese person who writes to their elders (長輩). But nevertheless, I revised my answer for it could be controversial.  
> **username_3**: Hi, I didn't mean to disagree. I'm just not sure about this, because I seldom encounter the phrase in real life. I'd be happy if some sources can be found to confirm it in either direction.  
> **username_2**: @username_3 It is very important in choosing the right word or phrase when a Chinese person writes to his/her elder, for example, "近來**您**可安好" will replace "近來**你**可安好", which is generally used between people of the same generation but lacks the means of "respect/regard". Well, this is just a personal opinion maybe.  
> **username_4**: I could see @username_2 view point. "closeness and affection" in the context of a past ultra conservative Chinese society only occur or "practiced" among peers with gender differentiation thrown in. Familial generational interactions in any form was frown upon and it was considered ill-mannered to address, spoken or in letters, an elder too informally, unlike now. So, I don't think your remark is that controversial.  

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### Answer by username_5 on 2022-03-23. Score: 0

What a nice day! I thought that the letterhead greeting maybe different from the different relationships/people, so there is no fixed translation in this case. For me, the translation is already answered in the letter! *v*


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### Answer by username_6 on 2022-03-25. Score: -1

見字如面 sounds similar to [見字如見人](https://zhidao.baidu.com/question/1771406807207372740.html)

> 通过你的字可以看出你是怎么样的人...

> People can tell who you are by your handwriting.

A person's handwriting is like his face, it is recognizable and it leaves an impression

I don't believe it is a greeting. The one who read a letter from a friend might feel he is looking at his friend's face in the handwriting, but that's a reaction to the letter, the one who wrote the letter wouldn't presume it


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