kính gửi

To (Formal Letter Opener)

Level 6

Kính gửi (literally "respectfully send") is the absolute standard for opening formal letters, business emails, and official documents in Vietnamese. It functions like "Dear [Name/Title]" or "To [Name/Title]" but carries a much higher degree of professional distance and respect.

How It Works

Because English uses "Dear" for everything from business letters to diary entries, learners often misunderstand the strict register of kính gửi. It is primarily for formal, professional, and administrative contexts (administrative register), as well as highly formal personal correspondence (like wedding invitations or writing to a respected former teacher).

Key Rules:

  • Use titles for individuals: Never write a bare first name like Kính gửi John. You must use a title. In standard business emails, the most common formulation is Kính gửi Anh [Name] or Kính gửi Chị [Name]. For higher formality, you can write Kính gửi Ông John or Kính gửi Giám đốc. However, you can use it directly with organizations, departments, or collective bodies without a personal title (e.g., Kính gửi Bộ Y tế).
  • Unknown recipients: When you do not know the specific person, you can write Kính gửi Ông/Bà (Dear Sir/Madam) or Kính gửi Quý khách (Dear Customer).
  • Rarely used for intimates: In casual everyday communication, writing Kính gửi mẹ (Dear Mom) sounds unnaturally stiff, distant, or even sarcastic. However, it can be used to convey deep reverence in highly emotional or literary contexts.
  • Primarily written: For formal spoken addresses, use Kính thưa instead, though kính gửi may be heard spoken aloud if someone is formally reading a written document or petition verbatim to an audience.
  • Opener only: Do not use it as a sign-off. To close a letter, use trân trọng (Respectfully).

For less formal workplace emails to close colleagues or friends, use Thân gửi (literally "affectionately send", functionally "Dear [Name]") instead.

Examples (4)

  1. Kính gửi Ban Giám hiệu,

    To the School Board, / Dear School Board,

    Word by Word: Respectfully send Board of Directors,

    Used to address a formal body or department.

  2. Kính gửi Quý công ty,

    To the Esteemed Company, / Dear Company,

    Word by Word: Respectfully send Esteemed company,

    A standard opening when writing to an organization rather than a specific individual.

  3. Kính gửi Ông Nguyễn Văn A,

    Dear Mr. Nguyen Van A,

    Word by Word: Respectfully send Mr. Nguyen Van A,

    Notice the mandatory inclusion of the formal pronoun 'Ông' before the full name.

  4. Kính gửi Phòng Nhân sự:

    To the Human Resources Department:

    Word by Word: Respectfully send Room Human Resources:

    A colon can also be used instead of a comma, especially in highly administrative documents.

Common Mistakes

  • Omitting the title or pronoun before an individual's name.

    Kính gửi John,
    Kính gửi Ông John,

    In formal correspondence, Vietnamese normally puts a title (like Giám đốc) or a formal pronoun (like Ông, Bà, Anh, Chị) before an individual's name. Organizations or departments can be addressed directly without a personal title.

  • Using it for family members or close friends in casual communication.

    Kính gửi mẹ,
    Gửi mẹ, / Mẹ thân yêu,

    Unlike the English "Dear", kính gửi is primarily for professional and administrative contexts. Using it with family in everyday situations sounds distant, overly stiff, or sarcastic, though it can occasionally be used in highly emotional or literary contexts to convey profound reverence.

  • Using it as a sign-off at the end of a letter.

    Kính gửi,\nNguyễn Văn A
    Trân trọng,\nNguyễn Văn A

    Because it literally translates to "respectfully send", learners sometimes put it at the end of an email. It is strictly an opener. Use Trân trọng or Kính thư to sign off.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

kính gửiLevel 6To (Formal Letter Opener)

Learn This First

To use 'kính gửi' correctly, learners need to understand the formal register of Vietnamese, specifically how Sino-Vietnamese words are used to convey high levels of respect in written correspondence compared to everyday spoken address terms.

Words in This Pattern

kính gửikính