快递 (kuàidì) literally combines 快 (‘fast’) and 递 (‘to deliver’ or ‘to transmit’), meaning ‘express delivery’ — a service that transports packages quickly, usually within one to three days. It refers both to the physical package itself (e.g., ‘my快递 arrived’) and the logistics industry as a whole (e.g., ‘a快递 company’). In modern China, 快递 is indispensable for online shopping, food delivery, and document transport.

The term emerged with the growth of e-commerce and now carries connotations of speed, convenience, and reliability. While traditional mail (邮政 yóuzhèng) is slower and more formal, 快递 implies door-to-door service, real-time tracking, and flexible scheduling. It’s commonly used in daily conversation, business contexts, and digital platforms — often shortened colloquially to 快 (kuài) in informal speech (e.g., ‘我的快到了’).