收费

• Pinyin: shōu fèi
• Hanzi breakdown: 收 = 丩 (entangle) + 攵 (strike), meaning to gather in; 费 = 弗 (not, phonetic) + 贝 (shell/money)

Meaning

To charge a fee; to collect payment. Describes the act of charging money for services or goods.

Used for tollbooths, service charges, and subscriptions. Can also function as a noun meaning 'charge' or 'fee'. Common collocations include 收费站 (toll station) and 免费 (free of charge, its antonym).

Examples

1. 这个停车场收费很贵。 This car park charges very high fees.
2. 这里不收费，可以免费参观。 There is no charge here; you can visit for free.
3. 请问这个服务怎么收费？ Excuse me, how do you charge for this service?

Usage Guide

Context: business, everyday, services

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这条高速公路收费吗？(Does this highway charge a toll?)
• 停车场每小时收费十块钱。(The car park charges ten yuan per hour.)

Don't Say

• 他收费了我的钱。(Don't use 收费 to mean 'took my money' — 收费 means to charge a fee for a service. To say someone collected money, use 收了我的钱.)

Origin & History

收 (to receive/collect) + 费 (fee/expense). Literally 'to collect fees'.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal