发送

You use it like a standard verb. Usually, you place the object you are sending right after it. For example, 发送邮件 (send an email). It works perfectly for text messages, files, and even location pins. If you are using a Chinese app like WeChat, this is the exact word on the button you tap.

Use it whenever technology is involved. It is the standard term for texting, emailing, and sharing links. You can also use it in more formal business settings when distributing documents. It feels crisp and efficient. If you just finished a great photo edit, you 发送 it to the group chat immediately.

Don't use 发送 for people. You wouldn't 'send' a friend to the store using this word; use 派 or 让 instead. Also, for physical gifts or casual mail, 寄 is often more natural. 发送 has a slightly 'technical' or 'official' vibe that doesn't always fit a handwritten love letter. Don't use it for 'sending' feelings either—that's a different vibe entirely!

Before the internet, 发送 was often used for radio signals or telegrams. In the 90s and 2000s, it exploded with the rise of SMS texting. Now, in the era of WeChat, it is one of the most clicked buttons in China. It represents the fast-paced, hyper-connected nature of modern Chinese life where everything is just one click away.

You will often see 发 used as a shorthand in casual conversation. Instead of the full 发送, friends might just say 发给我 (send it to me). In professional IT contexts, you might hear 发送失败 (send failed), which is the universal signal for 'find better Wi-Fi immediately.'