How to use your credit card for payment in Chinese – Grammar and Vocabulary

信xìn用yòng卡kǎ (xìnyòngkǎ) is the word for Credit Card in Chinese. In this post I will answer common questions about using your credit card and making payment  in China as well as provide you with useful phrases, grammar and an example dialogue.

Are credit cards accepted in China?

International credit cards are accepted in China at larger establishments such as hotels and restaurants. For smaller sellers credit cards are often not accepted and cash or payment via WeChat Pay or Ali Pay are preferred.

If you want to use you credit card, look out for the Master Card or Visa logos when you are making payment. If you aren’t planning on carrying enough cash with you to cover your bill when dining out, it is best to ask if the restaurant if they accept credit card. This is the phrase you should use:

你nǐ们men收shōu信xìn用yòng卡kǎ吗ma？?
nǐmen shōu xìnyòngkǎ ma?
Do you accept credit card?

This literally means “(do) you accept credit card”. Breaking it down

• nǐmen (你nǐ们men) is the plural form of you
• shōu (收shōu) means “accept”
• xìnyòngkǎ (信xìn用yòng卡kǎ) means “credit card”, and is not a specific type of credit card, so is not the same asking if the establishment accepts Visa or Mastercard for example.

Alternatively you can also ask:

这zhè里lǐ可kě使shǐ用yòng信xìn用yòng卡kǎ吗ma？?
zhèlǐ kě shǐyòng xìnyòngkǎ ma
Can I use credit card here?

This is very similar but literally is asking “here can I use credit card?”
Again breaking this down word by word:

• zhèlǐ (这zhè里lǐ) means “here”, literally “this place”
• kě (可kě) means “can”, you may have seen this more commonly as kěyǐ  (可kě以yǐ) which is perfectly find as well
• shǐyòng (使shǐ用yòng) means “use” or “make use of”. This is comprised of the characters 使shǐ and 用yòng, both of which mean to use. Most modern Chinese words are two characters, which is why seeing a word being made of two characters with similar meaning is not uncommon.
• xìnyòngkǎ (信xìn用yòng卡kǎ) means “credit card”, as I’ve covered above

Both of the above are acceptable.

Credit Card and Payment related Chinese Vocabulary

Below is some useful vocabulary for making payment in Chinese

English	Chinese	Pronunciation (Pinyin)
Card	卡kǎ	kǎ
Visa	VViissaa卡kǎ / 维Wéi萨sà卡kǎ	Visa kǎ / wéi sà kǎ
MasterCard	美Měi国guó运yùn通tōng	měiguó yùntōng
American Express	美Měi国guó运yùn通tōng	měiguó yùntōng
Union Pay (Chinese Credit Card)	银Yín联Lián	yínlián
Bank Card	银yín行háng卡kǎ	yínháng kǎ
Diners Card	大dà莱Lái卡kǎ	dà láikǎ
PayWave	感gǎn应yìng付fù款kuǎn	gǎnyìng fùkuǎn
PayPass	感gǎn应yìng式shì信xìn用yòng卡kǎ	gǎnyìng shì xìnyòngkǎ
Signature	签qiān名míng	qiānmíng
Pin / Password	密mì码mǎ	mìmǎ
Card Verification Value (CVV)	安ān全quán吗ma	ānquán ma
Last four digits of your credit card number	卡kǎ号hào最zuì四sì位wèi	kǎhào zuì sì wèi
Credit Card Number	信xìn用yòng卡kǎ号hào码mǎ	xìnyòngkǎ hàomǎ
Magnetic Stripe	磁cí带dài	cídài
Two Factor Authentication	双shuāng因yīn素sù认rèn证zhèng	shuāng yīnsù rènzhèng
Declined / refused	拒jù绝jué	jùjué
Debit Card	借jiè记jì卡kǎ	jiè jì kǎ
ATM (Automatic Teller Machine)	自zì动dòng取qǔ款kuǎn机jī	zìdòng qǔkuǎn jī
Receipt	收shōu据jù	shōujù
Tax Invoice	发fā票piào	fāpiào
WeChat Pay	微wēi信xìn支zhī付fù	wēixìn zhīfù
AliPay	支Zhī付fù宝bǎo	zhīfùbǎo
Bank Branch	银yín行háng分fēn行háng	yínháng fēnháng
Bank	银yín行háng	yínháng
Website	网wǎng站zhàn	wǎngzhàn
Customer Service Phone Number	客kè户hù服fú务wù号hào码mǎ	kèhù fúwù hàomǎ
Cash	现xiàn金jīn	xiànjīn
Bill	买mǎi单dān	mǎidān
Settle the Bill	结jié账zhàng	jiézhàng
Discount	打dǎ折zhé	dǎzhé

Credit Card and Payment related Chinese Phrases

If you are at a restaurant and want to make payment by credit card, the following dialogue will help you understand the basics:

English	Chinese	Pronunciation (Pinyin)
Please enter your pin number	请qǐng输shū入rù您nín的de密mì码mǎ	qǐng shūrù nín de mìmǎ
Please sign here	请qǐng签qiān字zì	qǐng qiānzì
Can I pay with Credit Card	我wǒ能néng用yòng信xìn用yòng卡kǎ付fù款kuǎn吗ma??	wǒ néng yòng xìnyòngkǎ fùkuǎn ma?
Your credit card was declined	你nǐ的de信xìn用yòng卡kǎ被bèi拒jù绝jué	nǐ de xìnyòngkǎ bèi jùjué
Do you accept credit card?	你nǐ们men收shōu信xìn用yòng卡kǎ吗ma	nǐmen shōu xìnyòngkǎ ma
Can I use credit card here?	这zhè里lǐ可kě使shǐ用yòng信xìn用yòng卡kǎ吗ma	zhèlǐ kě shǐyòng xìnyòngkǎ ma
Hello, we would like to make payment	你nǐ好hǎo。.我wǒ们men要yào付fù款kuǎn。.	nǐ hǎo. Wǒmen yào fùkuǎn.
Let me calculate it, your total is 250 yuan	让ràng我wǒ算suàn一yī下xià，,共gòng两liǎng百bǎi五wǔ十shí元yuán。.	ràng wǒ suàn yīxià, gòng liǎng bǎi wǔshí yuán.
How do you want to pay?	您nín们men想xiǎng怎zěn么me结jié账zhàng??	nínmen xiǎng zěnme jiézhàng?
Can (we) use credit card for payment?	我wǒ能néng用yòng信xìn用yòng卡kǎ付fù款kuǎn吗ma??	wǒ néng yòng xìnyòngkǎ fùkuǎn ma?
I’m sorry your card has been declined.	不bù好hǎo意yì思si，,您nín的de信xìn用yòng卡kǎ被bèi拒jù绝jué。.	bù hǎoyìsi, nín de xìnyòngkǎ bèi jùjué.
Please try again.	请qǐng再zài试shì一yī次cì。.	qǐng zài shì yīcì.
It is still declined	还hái被bèi拒jù了le	hái bèi jùle
Do you have another card?	您nín有yǒu其qí他tā的de卡kǎ吗ma	nín yǒu qítā de kǎ ma
I will pay in cash instead	我wǒ会huì用yòng现xiàn金jīn付fù款kuǎn	wǒ huì yòng xiànjīn fùkuǎn
Please give me a tax receipt	请qǐng给gěi我wǒ一yī张zhāng发fā票piào	qǐng gěi wǒ yī zhāng fāpiào
This is your change	这zhè是shì找zhǎo您nín的de零líng钱qián	zhè shì zhǎo nín de língqián

Using a credit card in Chinese: Dialogue

Below is a short dialogue that shows how you might make payment in Chinese at a restaurant. The vocabulary can easily be used at other types of establishment, such as shops or grocery stores. I have also broken down the sentences in the dialogue to give you a better understanding of the grammar and vocabulary.

[Customer]
你nǐ好hǎo。.我wǒ们men要yào付fù款kuǎn。.
nǐ hǎo. wǒmen yào fùkuǎn.
Hello, we would like to make payment

[Cashier]
让ràng我wǒ算suàn一yī下xià，,一yī共gòng两liǎng百bǎi五wǔ十shí元yuán。.
ràng wǒ suàn yīxià, yīgòng liǎng bǎi wǔshí yuán.
Let me calculate it, altogether (that is) 250 yuan

您nín们men想xiǎng怎zěn么me结jié账zhàng？?
nínmen xiǎng zěnme jiézhàng?
How do you want to pay?

我wǒ能néng用yòng信xìn用yòng卡kǎ付fù款kuǎn吗ma??
wǒ néng yòng xìnyòngkǎ fùkuǎn ma?
Can (we) use credit card for payment?

没méi问wèn题tí。.
méi wèntí.
No problem.

不bù好hǎo意yì思si，,您nín的de信xìn用yòng卡kǎ被bèi拒jù绝jué。.
bù hǎoyìsi, nín de xìnyòngkǎ bèi jùjué.
I’m sorry your card has been declined.

很hěn奇qí怪guài。.请qǐng再zài试shì一yī次cì。.
hěn qíguài. qǐng zài shì yīcì.
How strange. Please try again.

不bù好hǎo意yì思si，,还hái被bèi拒jù了le。.您nín有yǒu其qí他tā的de卡kǎ吗ma？?
bù hǎoyìsi, hái bèi jùle. nín yǒu qítā de kǎ ma?
I’m sorry, it is still declined. Do you have another card?

对duì不bu起qǐ。.我wǒ会huì用yòng现xiàn金jīn付fù款kuǎn。.请qǐng给gěi我wǒ一yī张zhāng发fā票piào。.
duìbùqǐ. wǒ huì yòng xiànjīn fùkuǎn. qǐng gěi wǒ yī zhāng fāpiào.
I’m sorry. I will pay in cash instead. Please give me a tax receipt.

谢xiè谢xie。.这zhè是shì找zhǎo您nín的de零líng钱qián。.
xièxiè. zhè shì zhǎo nín de língqián.
Thank you. This is your change. 

谢xiè谢xie。.
xièxiè.
Thank you.

Dialogue sentence breakdown

你nǐ好hǎo	我wǒ们men	要yào	付fù款kuǎn
nǐ hǎo	wǒmen	yào	fùkuǎn
Hello	we	want	make payment

After greeting the waiter with a simple “nǐ hǎo” (你nǐ好hǎo), the customer literally says to the waiter that “We want (to) make payment”：

• yào (要yào) means “want”; they could have instead said xiǎng (想xiǎng) which means “would like” or xiǎng yào (想要) which means desire, however 要 is direct and is not impolite.
• fùkuǎn (付fù款kuǎn), means to “make payment”, or literally “pay funds”. You may have seen people say fùqián (付fù钱qián) which means to “pay money”. Both are acceptable and common.

让ràng	我wǒ	算suàn	一yī下xià	一yī共gòng	两liǎng百bǎi五wǔ十shí	元yuán
ràng	wǒ	suàn	yīxià	yīgòng	liǎng bǎi wǔshí	yuán
Let	me	calculate	for a moment	altogether	250	Yuan

The cashier responds “Let me calculate (your bill) for a moment” and quickly follows this to say “altogether two hundred (and) fifty Yuan (RMB)”:

• yīxià (一yī下xià) meaning “for a moment”, thus literally the cashier is saying “let me calculate (for) a moment”
• liǎng bǎi wǔshí (两liǎng百bǎi五wǔ十shí) means two hundred (两liǎng百bǎi) and fifty (五wǔ十shí). Check out my post on How to count in Chinese for help with counting.
• yuán (元yuán) is the unit of currency in China. You will commonly see kuài (块kuài) used instead, this basically just means “unit’. The official Chinese currency is the rénmínbì (人rén民mín币bì), literally meaning “the peoples currency”, however it is not common to use this full name of the currency in day to day life, similar to the way that you don’t hear shopkeepers asking for ‘”United States Dollars” when asking you to pay your bill.

您nín们men	想xiǎng	怎zěn么me	结jié账zhàng
nínmen	xiǎng	zěnme	jiézhàng
You (plural)	want	how	make payment

Next the Cashier asks “How do you want to pay”. The sentence order is not the same as English and literally the Cashier is asking “you – want – how – pay”. While I will try and bring you some posts on grammar in Chinese, my suggestion is not to try and remember sentence structures or syntax, as exposure to the language will allow you to naturally pick up the correct word order.

• nínmen (您nín们men), the polite plural form of you, so here the Cashier is referring to the group, not just the person paying the bill. If the Cashier had said nín (您nín) this is singular, so refers to just one person. Nín (您nín) is the polite form of nǐ (你nǐ) and is used to show respect, typically to someone older, senior in rank or, as in this case, someone who is a customer.
• zěnme (怎zěn么me) means “how”. The word for “what” – shénme (什shén么me) – uses the same 么me character, which might make it easier to remember.
• jiézhàng? (结jié账zhàng) means to pay the bill or settle an account.

我wǒ	能néng	用yòng	信xìn用yòng卡kǎ	付fù款kuǎn	吗ma
wǒ	néng	yòng	xìnyòngkǎ	fùkuǎn	ma
I	able to	use	cred card	make payment	<question>

The customer next asks if credit card is accepted for payment. Here the sentence structure is the same as English:

• néng (能néng) means “able to”. This is really asking if it is possible to do something, so in this case is it possible to pay by credit card. If the customer had instead said kěyǐ (可kě以yǐ), this would have ask if they were allowed to pay by credit card. The difference is subtle but worth remembering.
• ma (吗ma) is a character that indicates we are asking a yes no question and is very commonly used in Chinese

没méi问wèn题tí

méi wèntí

No problem

The cashier simply responds no problem, where wèntí (问wèn题tí) means “problem’ and
méi (没méi) negates this to mean “no problem”. You will have see 没méi used in phrases such as méiyǒu (没méi有yǒu) meaning “don’t have”.

不bù好hǎo意yì思si	您nín的de	信xìn用yòng卡kǎ	被bèi	拒jù绝jué
bù hǎoyìsi	nín de	xìnyòngkǎ	bèi	jùjué
I’m sorry	your	credit card	has been	declined

The cashier then apologies and says the card has been declined:

• bù hǎoyìsi (不bù好hǎo意yì思si) literally means “not good meaning”, although the translation is really “I’m sorry”.

• bèi (被bèi) means by, however in this sentence is being used to state that the credit card has been declined by the bank, but by using 被 avoids having to mention who declined the card. You could rewrite this sentence and state who declined the card, for example：
  您nín的de信xìn用yòng卡kǎ被bèi//eemm>>ssttrroonngg>>eemm>>银yín行háng//eemm>>//ssttrroonngg>>eemm>>拒jù绝jué了le
  nín de xìnyòngkǎ bèi yínháng jùjuéle
  Your credit card has been declined by the bank
  Here yínháng(银yín行háng) means bank
  被 is also used to communicate a negative (undesirable) outcome. For example:
  我wǒ被bèi打dǎ了le
  wǒ bèi dǎle
  I was beaten (打)
  So returning to the original sentence, had you wanted to rewrite the sentence without using 被, you could rewrite it as:
  银yín行háng拒jù绝jué了le您nín的de信xìn用yòng卡kǎ
  yínháng jùjuéle nín de xìnyòngkǎ
  (The) bank declined your credit card
  The ultimate meaning is essentially the same, but is less compact and specifies who declined the card – after all, it could just be the credit card terminal and not the bank which declined the card.

很hěn	奇qí怪guài	请qǐng	再zài	试shì	一yī次cì
hěn	qíguài	qǐng	zài	shì	yīcì
Very	strange	please	again	try	one time

The customer comments that this is “very strange” by saying 很hěn奇qí怪guài. This is a phrase to remember as it is something you will come across in your Chinese studies. In the sentence following the customer asks the cashier to try again. Here the word 再zài is important as it means “again” and is necessary as they are asking the cashier to try the card a second time.
Finally note the use of 试shì一yī次cì, which means to try again. This is a phrase and characters which are quite common in Chinese.

不bù好hǎo意yì思si	还hái	被bèi	拒jù了le
bù hǎoyìsi	hái	bèi	jùle
I’m sorry	still	been	declined

When the cashier notes that the card is still declined, they again use the passive 被bèi sentence pattern we discussed above. Of note here is the use of 还hái, meaning “still”. An example of 还hái used in this way is:
她tā还huán在zài家jiā
tā hái zàijiā
She (is) still at home

您nín	有yǒu	其qí他tā的de	卡kǎ	吗ma
nín	yǒu	qítā de	kǎ	ma
You (polite)	have	other	card	<question>

The cashier asks if the customer has another card. Of note here are the use of the words 有, meaning “to have”. 有yǒu is extremely common in Chinese and can be used for very simple sentences such as
我wǒ有yǒu一yī个gè弟dì弟di
wǒ yǒu yīgè dìdì
I have a younger brother
Or you can append 没 in front of 有 to say don’t have:
我wǒ没méi有yǒu钱qián
wǒ méiyǒu qián
I don’t have money
The other word you should note here is 其qí他tā的de, where 其qí他tā means “another”. The use of 的de here shows possession, so the cashier is really asking ’do you have a credit card from another bank”, but bank is omitted. If you wanted to shorten the sentence further, the cashier could drop the words you (您nín) and card (卡kǎ) completely and simply ask
有yǒu其qí他tā的de吗ma
(do you) have another (credit card)?
yǒu qítā de ma

对duì不bu起qǐ	我wǒ	会huì	用yòng	现xiàn金jīn	付fù款kuǎn
duìbùqǐ	wǒ	huì	yòng	xiànjīn	fùkuǎn
I’m sorry	I	able to	use	cash	make payment

The customer apologies by saying 对duì不bu起qǐ. This is a common phrase worth remembering. The use of 会huì in the sentence means to be able to; using kěyǐ (可kě以yǐ), meaning “can”, isn’t appropriate here as the customer is not trying to say they are allowed to (可kě以yǐ) use cash, they are saying they are able to use cash, that is they have cash and can use that instead.

请qǐng	给gěi	我wǒ	一yī张zhāng	发fā票piào
qǐng	gěi	wǒ	yī zhāng	fāpiào
please	give	me	one piece (of)	tax invoice

When the customer asks for the tax invoice (tax receipt), they use the classifier 张zhāng. Unless you are new to Chinese you will know that a classifier is commonly used in Chinese and are sometimes known as “measure words” as they are used when saying a number or something, in this case one (a) tax invoice. 张zhāng itself is used for flat things such as a piece of paper, a photograph, a picture.

谢xiè谢xie	这zhè	是shì	找zhǎo	您nín的de	零líng钱qián
xièxiè	zhè	shì	zhǎo	nín de	língqián.
thank you	this	is	give (change)	your	change

Hopefully the above break down helps your understanding of the dialogue. Try to focus on remembering phrases rather than individual words as this is how we naturally learn, through familiarity with phrases and not memorising vocabulary.

Wrapping it up

Making payment in Chinese is quite easy and even with very little knowledge of Chinese can be achieved mostly with body language and a few phrases. With that said, you should certainly try and use the phrases and vocabulary I’ve given here, be it in China or even at your local Chinese restaurant. Below I have a

I have included some frequently asked questions below for further reading, these are mostly about making payment in China.

Frequently Asked Questions about payment in Chinese

How do I say credit card in Chinese?

Xinyòngkǎ (信xìn用yòng卡kǎ) is the Chinese word for credit card, but is not a specific type of card such as Visa of Mastercard. Broken down xìnyòngkǎ (信xìn用yòng卡kǎ) actually means faith/trust – use – card. You can see that kǎ (卡kǎ) is phonetically the same as “card” in English.

How do I ask for the bill in Chinese?

Saying 买mǎi单dān (mǎidān), literally “buy bill” is the easiest way, 我wǒ想xiǎng要yào结jié账zhàng (wǒ xiǎng yào jiézhàng) is more complete, and means “I would like the bill”.

How do you say Visa Card in Chinese?

Visa is often just said as VViissaa 卡kǎ (Visa kǎ). The full phonetic translation is wéi sà kǎ (维Wéi萨sà卡kǎ)

What is the difference between a shouju and fapiao?

A shōujù (收shōu据jù) is a receipt, which is a proof of payment, while a fāpiào (发fā票piào) is a tax invoice which can be used to claim expenses for tax deductions.

Should I ask for a fapiao or a shouju?

If shopping in China as a tourist, asking for a shōujù (收shōu据jù) is fine. A
fāpiào (发fā票piào) may not provide an itemised list of items purchased, while a
shōujù (收shōu据jù) should.

Can I use my credit card, bank card or ATM card in a Chinese ATM?

Chinese ATMs accept foreign debit, credit and ATM cards. Just look for the Cirrus / Maestro (MasterCard) or Plus (Visa) logos.

Will I incur extra fees using a foreign credit card in China?

For foreign purchases you will generally pay a percentage bank fee on top of the exchange rate, however there are card providers that do not charge this fee

Will I incur extra fees withdrawing money from an ATM in China?

If using a foreign ATM you may be charged an additional fee by your bank as well as the ATM provider. If you withdraw via your credit card on “credit” (as opposed to your bank account) this will also be treated a a cash advance and you will generally start paying interest on that money immediately with no payment grace period.

What is WeChat Pay

WeChat Pay is a payment platform that is commonly used in China instead of cash. You use WeChat Pay to make instant payment in stores by scanning a QR code provided by the seller and then confirming the payment transfer.

What is AliPay

AliPay is a payment platform. It is often used in China instead of cash whereby similar to WeChat Pay, you scan a QR code provided by the seller using the App to make payment.

How much money can I withdraw from an ATM in China?

ATMs in China generally will have a maximum limit of approximately 3000 Yuan per day. Your bank may also limit how much you can withdraw.