メール

also: メイル · メェル

メ

ー

ル

Common wordJLPTN4Freq.FrequencyTop 1,000

メールする · noun or participle which takes 'suru'

Meanings

abbreviation

Abbreviation of 電子メール. Used for email messages and the email system. Can be used as a noun or with する to mean 'send an email'.

メールを送おくるto send an email
取とり引ひき先さきにメールを送おくった。
I sent an email to the client.
メールが届とどくfor an email to arrive
さっき会かい社しゃからメールが届とどいた。
An email just arrived from the office.
メールに返へん信しんするto reply to an email
上じょう司しのメールに返へん信しんするのを忘わすれていた。
I forgot to reply to my boss's email.
メールをチェックするto check one's email
毎まい朝あさ、起おきたらすぐメールをチェックする。
I check my email as soon as I wake up every morning.
〈人ひと〉にメールするto send someone a text/message
着ついたら友とも達だちにメールするね。
I'll text my friend when I arrive.

電でん子しメール sense 1
電子メール is the full, formal term for email, while メール is the everyday abbreviation used in casual speech.
メッセージN2sense 3
メッセージ is a broader word for any message, whereas メール in this sense specifically refers to a text or chat message sent via phone or app.
郵ゆう便びんN3sense 2
郵便 is the standard word for physical postal mail, while メール in this sense appears mainly in compounds like メール便 and is rarely used alone.
ＤＭ
メール is the general word for any email or message, whereas ＤＭ specifically means a private direct message sent through a social media platform.

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手て紙がみN5
手紙 is a physical letter sent by mail, while メール refers to email or digital messages.
文ぶん通つうN1
メール is the modern practice of exchanging emails or texts, whereas 文通 specifically means exchanging traditional written letters.
ＬＩＮＥ
ＬＩＮＥする means to message someone through the LINE app, whereas メールする means to send an email or SMS-style text.

郵ゆう便びんN3
郵便 refers to physical postal mail delivered by hand, whereas メール means email sent electronically, so the two should not be swapped.
レター
メール usually means email or a text message, whereas レター refers to a physical or letter-style written communication, so the two are not interchangeable despite both being katakana loanwords for correspondence.

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メールUsage99%
Standard katakana spelling for email, mail, and instant messages.
メイルUsage1%
search-only kana form
Search-only variant; not a common practical spelling.
メェルUsage<1%
search-only kana form
Search-only variant; not a common practical spelling.

From English 'mail'. The reading メール reflects a common adaptation of English /eɪ/ to a long vowel in Japanese.