Page 43 - ebook-漢字文化教材

第三課 信

中日文化比較

「手紙」的字面意思在日文裡可以被解釋成「常常放在手邊的紙」，

也就是中文所說的「書信」。而明信片和一般書信不同的是，明信片不

需要用信封就可以投遞，但缺點是篇幅小而且不隱密，在另一面因為印

有圖畫或照片，所以日文叫做「絵葉書」。在手機、電子郵件還沒普及

以前，「書信」是人們互相通報消息及聯絡感情的方式之一。而最早以

前人們利用鴿子先天歸巢的能力，替人類傳送信件，我們稱為「飛鴿傳

書」。

The word 手紙 (tegami) in Japanese can be translated as “some paper one

has around him/her,” as in 書信, meaning letters in Chinese. The difference
between postcards and letters is that postcards can be sent without envelopes;

however, the downside of postcards cannot contain many content, and the
message cannot be personal or intimate. Also, because paintings or pictures

are printed on the other side, postcards are called 絵葉書, meaning a postcard
with a picture on one side in Japanese. Before cellphones and email are popu-

larized, sending letters is a way to send messages and to contact one another.

One of the oldest way of sending letters is called 飛鴿傳書, which can be di-
rectly translated into “flying pigeons send letters.” The technic utilizes the na-

ture of homing pigeons to send letters for human beings.

33