verb HSK 4
Traditional 結賬
to settle accounts · to pay the bill · to check out
Meaning
结账 means to settle a bill or pay what you owe, most commonly used when paying at a restaurant, hotel, or store. It literally means to close or settle accounts, combining 结 (to settle/conclude) and 账 (account/bill).
Usage
This is the standard polite way to ask for the bill in restaurants and shops across China. You can say 结账 to a server or cashier, or ask 可以结账吗? (May I pay the bill?). It's neutral in register and used in both formal and casual settings.
Examples
- 01服务员，我们想结账。, .Waiter, we'd like to pay the bill.
- 02你可以在前台结账。.You can settle the bill at the front desk.
Characters
Common collocations
- 结账离开to pay and leave
- 请结账the bill, please
- 结账台checkout counter
Antonyms
Origin
The word comes from accounting terminology where 结 means to close or finalize and 账 refers to financial accounts or ledgers.