缴纳

• Pinyin: jiǎo nà
• Hanzi breakdown: 缴 = to pay, surrender; 纳 = to accept, pay into

Meaning

To pay; to hand over payment. A formal term for submitting money to authorities or institutions.

Very formal, typically used for taxes, dues, and official fees. Nearly synonymous with 交纳 but often considered slightly more formal. Common collocations include 缴纳税款 (pay taxes) and 缴纳保险费 (pay insurance premiums).

Examples

1. 每个公民都有依法缴纳税款的义务。 Every citizen has the obligation to pay taxes in accordance with the law.
2. 员工每月需要缴纳养老保险和医疗保险。 Employees need to pay pension and medical insurance every month.
3. 逾期未缴纳罚款的，将加收滞纳金。 For overdue fines, late fees will be added.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, tax, insurance

Tone: official

Do Say

• 企业必须按时缴纳各种税费。(Enterprises must pay various taxes and fees on time.)
• 请于本周五前缴纳会费。(Please pay membership dues by this Friday.)

Don't Say

• 用'缴纳'描述日常购物付款 (Don't use 缴纳 for everyday shopping payments — it's for institutional fees; use 付款 for retail)

Origin & History

Composed of 缴 (to pay; to hand over) + 纳 (to receive; to pay into). A formal doublet for payment submission.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal