报销

• Pinyin: bào xiāo
• Hanzi breakdown: 报 = 扌 (hand) + 卩 (kneeling person) phonetic; 销 = 钅 (metal) + 肖 (phonetic)

Meaning

To reimburse; to claim expenses; to write off (expense account).

The process of submitting receipts or invoices to have business expenses refunded by an employer or organization. Also used colloquially to mean something is ruined or finished, similar to 报废.

Examples

1. 出差的机票和住宿费都可以报销，记得保留好发票。 Flight tickets and accommodation for business trips can be reimbursed — remember to keep the receipts.
2. 这个月的报销流程太慢了，钱还没打到账上。 The reimbursement process is too slow this month; the money hasn't hit my account yet.
3. 加班打车的费用能报销吗？我这个月已经花了好几百了。 Can taxi fares for overtime work be reimbursed? I've already spent several hundred this month.

Usage Guide

Context: business, workplace, finance

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 这笔费用可以报销。(This expense can be reimbursed.)
• 报销需要提供正规发票。(Reimbursement requires official invoices.)

Don't Say

• 把个人消费说成'可以报销' (Don't claim personal expenses as reimbursable — that's considered fraud)

Origin & History

报 (to report) + 销 (to cancel/eliminate). Originally meant to report expenses for cancellation from accounts.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal