缴费

• Pinyin: jiǎo fèi
• Hanzi breakdown: 缴 = to pay, hand over; 费 = 贝 (money shell) + 弗 — fee, expense

Meaning

To pay a fee; to make a payment. The act of paying money owed to an organization or service provider.

Common in official and commercial contexts for paying bills, fees, or dues. Collocations include 缴费窗口 (payment counter), 网上缴费 (online payment), and 缴费通知 (payment notice).

Examples

1. 现在可以用手机APP直接缴费，不用去银行排队了。 Now you can pay directly through a mobile app without queuing at the bank.
2. 请在规定时间内完成学费缴费。 Please complete the tuition payment within the specified time.
3. 物业管理处提醒业主按时缴费。 The property management office reminds homeowners to pay fees on time.

Usage Guide

Context: financial, administrative, commercial

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 缴费截止日期是本月底。(The payment deadline is the end of this month.)
• 在这里可以缴费吗？(Can I make a payment here?)

Don't Say

• 用'缴费'描述给小费 (Don't use 缴费 for tipping — it's for formal fee payments; use 给小费 for gratuities)

Origin & History

Composed of 缴 (to pay; to turn over) + 费 (fee; expense). Together they specifically mean to pay fees.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal