1.
regular mail; standard mail; ordinary mail
The basic postal delivery service without tracking, insurance, or special handling. The most common and least expensive way to send letters and small packages.
普通郵便で送っても大丈夫ですか。
Is it okay to send it by regular mail?
普通郵便だと届くまで二、三日かかる。
With regular mail, it takes two or three days to arrive.
普通郵便には追跡サービスがないので、届いたかどうか確認できない。
Regular mail doesn't have tracking service, so you can't confirm whether it arrived.
A compound of 普通 (ordinary, regular) and 郵便 (mail, postal service). The default postal service for everyday correspondence.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 普通郵便で送る — to send by regular mail
- 普通郵便の料金 — regular mail postage
- 普通郵便の届く日数 — delivery days for regular mail
CHARACTERISTICS:
- No tracking number
- No compensation if lost
- Delivered to the mailbox (no signature required)
- Cheapest option
- Cannot be used to send cash
RELATED TERMS:
- 書留 — registered mail (tracked and insured)
- 速達 — express delivery (faster but more expensive)
- 定形郵便 — standard-size mail (fits specific size/weight limits)
- 定形外郵便 — non-standard-size mail (oversized or overweight items)
- 配達証明 — delivery certification
PRACTICAL NOTE:
普通郵便 can be posted simply by affixing the correct postage stamp and dropping it in a mailbox ({ポスト}). No visit to the post office is needed for standard-size items.