小费

• Pinyin: xiǎo fèi
• Hanzi breakdown: 小 = depicts something small; 费 = 贝 (shell/money) + 弗 (phonetic), meaning expense or fee

Meaning

Tip; gratuity. Extra money given for service.

Tipping is not traditionally part of Chinese culture and is not expected in most situations in China. However, the concept is known due to international travel and foreign films. In mainland China, tipping may even be refused as it can be seen as condescending. The word is more relevant when discussing foreign customs or in tourist areas.

Examples

1. 在美国餐厅吃饭，通常要给服务员百分之十五到二十的小费。 When eating at a restaurant in the US, you usually tip the server fifteen to twenty percent.
2. 在中国，大多数餐厅不需要给小费，服务费已经包含在账单里了。 In China, most restaurants don't require tipping as the service charge is already included in the bill.
3. 导游建议我们给当地司机一些小费表示感谢。 The tour guide suggested we give the local driver a tip to show our gratitude.

Usage Guide

Context: travel, service industry, international

Tone: informative

Do Say

• 小费应该给多少？(How much tip should I give?)
• 这里不用给小费。(You don't need to tip here.)

Don't Say

• 我给老师小费 — 小费只用于服务行业，不能用于教师或其他职业

Origin & History

Compound of 小 (small) + 费 (fee, expense). Literally 'small fee,' describing the supplementary nature of gratuity.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal