无偿

• Pinyin: wú cháng
• Hanzi breakdown: 无 = 一 + 𠂉 (nothing, absence); 偿 = 亻 + 尝 (person + to taste/experience — to repay what one received)

Meaning

Free of charge; without compensation; gratuitous. Describes services, actions, or transfers of property done without expecting payment or return.

Legal and official register. Common collocations: 无偿捐赠 (gratuitous donation), 无偿援助 (free assistance), 无偿使用 (use without charge), 无偿劳动 (unpaid labour), 无偿转让 (transfer without consideration). Contrasts formally with 有偿 (compensated, paid).

Examples

1. 该非政府组织长期向贫困地区提供无偿医疗服务，帮助当地居民解决就医困难。 The NGO has long provided free medical services in poor areas, helping local residents overcome difficulties in getting medical care.
2. 公司决定将这套软件无偿开放给所有在校学生使用，以促进教育资源的公平分配。 The company decided to make this software available to all students for free, to promote a fair distribution of educational resources.
3. 他将自己收藏多年的珍贵文献无偿捐赠给国家图书馆，供后人研究与查阅。 He donated his collection of precious documents, amassed over many years, to the National Library free of charge for future generations to study and consult.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, charity, official

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 根据合同条款，甲方须向乙方无偿提供办公场所及相关配套设施，为期两年。(According to the contract terms, Party A shall provide Party B with office space and related supporting facilities free of charge for a period of two years.)
• 志愿者们无偿贡献了自己的时间和专业技能，为这次公益活动的成功举办发挥了不可或缺的作用。(The volunteers contributed their time and professional skills without compensation — playing an indispensable role in the successful organisation of this charity event.)

Don't Say

• 他无偿帮助了我 — though technically possible, 无偿 sounds overly formal and legalistic here; for personal favours use 免费 or 义务 (义务帮忙 = help as a favour); 无偿 is best reserved for formal transactions, donations, and official contexts

Origin & History

无 (without) + 偿 (repay, compensate) — without repayment or return

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal