Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 收條 / 收条 | shōutiáo |
| 發票 / 发票 | fāpiào |
| 收據 / 收据 | shōujù |
| 小票 | xiǎopiào |
Chinese uses different words for a receipt depending on whether it is a formal tax document, a general acknowledgement of receiving goods or a small slip from a machine.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 收條 / 收条 is composed of 收 (to receive) and 條 (a strip or piece of paper), literally meaning a 'strip of paper for receiving [something]'.
Which one should you use?
收據 / 收据 is a general term for a receipt that serves as proof that money or goods have been received. Use 發票 / 发票 when referring to an official tax invoice or a formal receipt used for business accounting and reimbursement purposes. In contrast, 小票 refers to the small, printed thermal paper slips typically received after a transaction at a supermarket, restaurant or vending machine.
How do you pronounce it?
shōutiáo
When do people say it?
If you are in a shop in China and need a formal receipt for reimbursement, you can say 要發票 (yào fāpiào), which means 'I want an invoice/receipt'.
Did you know?
- In some contexts, a handwritten 收條 / 收条 is used for private loans between friends to act as a legally binding IOU.
- Historically, the 發票 / 发票 first appeared during the Ming Dynasty and later became a standard tool for merchants during the late Qing Dynasty.
- The word 條 in 收條 / 收条 is a classifier used for long, thin objects like fish, rivers and strips of paper.
Examples in context
- 我需要一份收据。I need a receipt.
- 这是您的票据。This is your receipt.
- 让我看看小票。Let me see the receipt.
- 能给我一份单子吗？Can you give me a receipt?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “receipt” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 發票, CC BY-SA 4.0.
