noun HSK 4
Traditional 賬單
bill · invoice · account statement
Meaning
账单 refers to a document listing charges or amounts owed for goods or services. It's commonly used in restaurants, hotels, utilities, and any commercial transaction where payment is required. The word literally combines 'account' (账) and 'list/slip' (单).
Usage
This is a formal but everyday term used across all contexts involving payment. In restaurants, people say 买单 (mǎi dān) or 结账 (jié zhàng) when asking to pay, though 账单 is the actual document. It's also used for monthly bills like electricity, phone, or credit card statements.
Examples
- 01服务员，请把账单拿过来。, .Waiter, please bring the bill.
- 02我每个月都要支付很多账单。.I have to pay many bills every month.
Characters
Measure words
- 张一张账单
- 份一份账单
Common collocations
- 付账单to pay the bill
- 电话账单phone bill
- 信用卡账单credit card statement
- 查看账单to check the bill
Origin
The traditional form 賬 contains the shell radical 貝, historically used for currency. 单 originally depicted a simple forked hunting tool, later extended to mean 'single' or 'list.'