Paying in restaurants in China is usually simple, but it may be confusing if you are not familiar with local payment methods.
This page provides useful Chinese phrases for asking for the bill, paying, and confirming payment in restaurants.
You can use these phrases directly or show them on your phone.
💳 Check, please.
Chinese: 麻烦结账。
Pinyin: má fan jié zhàng
English: Check, please.
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: Would you like anything else?
A: 还需要其他东西吗？
B: No, check, please.
B: 不用了，麻烦结账。
💡 Tip:
Common short phrase to call the waiter for your bill in restaurants, cafes and milk tea shops.
💳 Can I have the bill?
Chinese: 可以给我账单吗？
Pinyin: kě yǐ gěi wǒ zhàng dān ma
English: Can I have the bill?
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: Finished your meal?
A: 用餐结束了吗？
B: Yes, can I have the bill?
B: 好了，可以给我账单吗？
💡 Tip:
Polite full sentence to ask staff to bring your receipt for payment.
💳 How much is it?
Chinese: 一共多少钱？
Pinyin: yí gòng duō shǎo qián
English: How much is it?
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: That’s your order.
A: 这是您点的全部餐品。
B: How much is it?
B: 一共多少钱？
💡 Tip:
Use to ask the total cost before paying.
💳 Can I pay by card?
Chinese: 可以刷卡支付吗？
Pinyin: kě yǐ shuā kǎ zhī fù ma
English: Can I pay by card?
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: We accept many payment ways.
A: 我们支持多种付款方式。
B: Can I pay by card?
B: 我可以刷卡支付吗？
💡 Tip:
Ask this when you want to pay with credit card or debit card.
💳 Can I use Alipay?
Chinese: 可以用支付宝吗？
Pinyin: kě yǐ yòng zhī fù bǎo ma
English: Can I use Alipay?
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: Cash, card or mobile pay?
A: 现金、刷卡还是手机支付？
B: Can I use Alipay?
B: 可以用支付宝吗？
💡 Tip:
Ask shops if they support Alipay, the most popular mobile wallet in China.
💳 Can I use WeChat Pay?
Chinese: 可以用微信支付吗？
Pinyin: kě yǐ yòng wēi xìn zhī fù ma
English: Can I use WeChat Pay?
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: What payment do you prefer?
A: 您想用哪种方式付款？
B: Can I use WeChat Pay?
B: 可以用微信支付吗？
💡 Tip:
Use this to confirm if the store accepts WeChat mobile payment.
💳 Split the bill, please.
Chinese: 麻烦分开结账。
Pinyin: má fan fēn kāi jié zhàng
English: Split the bill, please.
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: One bill for everyone?
A: 所有人统一结一张账单吗？
B: Split the bill, please. We pay separately.
B: 麻烦分开结账，我们各自付自己的。
💡 Tip:
Say this when dining with friends and everyone wants to pay their own share.
💳 Keep the change.
Chinese: 不用找零了。
Pinyin: bú yòng zhǎo líng le
English: Keep the change.
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: Here is your change.
A: 这是找您的零钱。
B: Keep the change.
B: 不用找零了。
💡 Tip:
Used when you give cash and want the leftover money as a tip for the server.
💳 Do you take cash?
Chinese: 收现金吗？
Pinyin: shōu xiàn jīn ma
English: Do you take cash?
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: Sorry my phone is dead.
A: 不好意思我的手机没电了。
B: No problem, do you take cash?
B: 没关系，你们收现金吗？
💡 Tip:
Ask whether the shop accepts paper money and coins.
💳 I’ll pay cash.
Chinese: 我付现金。
Pinyin: wǒ fù xiàn jīn
English: I’ll pay cash.
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: How would you like to pay?
A: 您打算怎么付款？
B: I’ll pay cash.
B: 我付现金。
💡 Tip:
Tell staff you plan to pay with banknotes and coins.
💳 Where can I scan the QR code?
Chinese: 在哪里扫付款码？
Pinyin: zài nǎ lǐ sǎo fù kuǎn mǎ
English: Where can I scan the QR code?
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: Mobile payment is available here.
A: 本店支持手机扫码支付。
B: Where can I scan the QR code?
B: 在哪里扫付款码？
💡 Tip:
Ask for the payment QR code for WeChat Pay or Alipay.
💳 Can I get a receipt?
Chinese: 可以给我开收据吗？
Pinyin: kě yǐ gěi wǒ kāi shōu jù ma
English: Can I get a receipt?
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: Finished paying.
A: 已经付完款了。
B: Can I get a receipt?
B: 可以给我开收据吗？
💡 Tip:
Ask for an official receipt if you need to apply for reimbursement.
💳 Please print an invoice for me.
Chinese: 麻烦帮我开一张发票。
Pinyin: má fan bāng wǒ kāi yì zhāng fā piào
English: Please print an invoice for me.
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: Do you need an invoice?
A: 需要开具发票吗？
B: Yes, please print an invoice for me.
B: 需要，麻烦帮我开一张发票。
💡 Tip:
Used for business travellers who need invoices for company expense claims.
💳 We pay together.
Chinese: 我们统一结账。
Pinyin: wǒ men tǒng yī jié zhàng
English: We pay together.
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: Separate bills or one total bill?
A: 分开结账还是统一结算？
B: We pay together.
B: 我们统一结账。
💡 Tip:
Tell waiters the whole table will settle one single bill.
Travel Tip
In China, mobile payments such as Alipay and WeChat Pay are the most common methods in restaurants.
Always confirm the payment method before ordering if you are not sure.
Cash is still accepted in many places, but digital payment is more widely used.