snail mail
snail mail — noun
1. letters, cards, or packages sent through the regular postal service — a playful
letters, cards, or packages sent through the regular postal service — a playful name that points out how slow it is compared with email
Sumin mails her grandmother in Seoul a birthday card by snail mail every spring.
by snail mail (contrast with email)
The signed contract arrived by snail mail three days after Wren expected it.
Karim waited nearly two weeks for the visa papers to come through snail mail.
There was nothing but a single postcard from Luca, delivered by snail mail.
The electricity company still sends monthly bills by snail mail unless you switch to paperless.
- postal mail
neutral, slightly more formal
- ordinary mail
neutral; the everyday term in contexts where email is an option
- physical mail
neutral, often used in technical or business settings
- email
electronic mail, near-instant delivery
- electronic mail
the formal term for email
用法筆記
Almost always used with 'by' or 'through'. The term is informal and gently mocking — avoid it in formal business letters or official documents.