====== fāpiào: 发票 - Invoice, Receipt ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** fapiao, 发票, Chinese invoice, Chinese receipt, what is a fapiao, fapiao lottery, tax receipt China, company reimbursement China, kāi fāpiào, bàoxiāo, 报销, official receipt
  * **Summary:** The Chinese **发票 (fāpiào)** is an official, government-regulated invoice that is fundamentally different from a standard Western receipt. It serves as a crucial tool for the Chinese tax authorities to monitor transactions and prevent tax evasion. For individuals and businesses, a **fāpiào** is essential for claiming business expenses and getting reimbursed. Understanding what a **fāpiào** is, why it's important, and how to ask for one is a critical practical skill for anyone working or traveling in China.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** fāpiào
  * **Part of Speech:** Noun
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 4
  * **Concise Definition:** An official, government-issued invoice or receipt required for tax and reimbursement purposes in China.
  * **In a Nutshell:** A `fāpiào` is more than just proof of purchase—it's a legal document integrated into China's tax system. Unlike a simple cash register printout, a `fāpiào` is printed on special, government-controlled paper (or issued digitally in a standard format) and is the only document accepted by companies for expense reimbursement (`报销 bàoxiāo`). The system is designed to ensure that every business transaction is recorded and taxed, making the act of asking for and issuing a `fāpiào` a routine and formal part of daily commerce.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **发 (fā):** The character 发 originally depicted a hand launching an arrow, hence its core meaning of "to send out," "to issue," or "to launch." In this context, it clearly means "to issue."
  * **票 (piào):** The character 票 shows "fire" (火) at the bottom, but its top part originally depicted a fluttering banner or slip of paper. It means "ticket," "a slip of paper," or "a note."
  * Together, **发票 (fāpiào)** literally translates to "issued slip of paper," which accurately describes its function as an officially issued document.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
The `fāpiào` system is a cornerstone of China's economic regulation and reveals a key aspect of the state's role in commerce. It's a top-down approach to ensuring tax compliance.
  * **Comparison with a Western "Receipt":** In the West, a receipt is primarily for the customer. It's your proof of purchase for returns or personal accounting. It's not usually regulated by the government. A Chinese **`fāpiào`**, however, serves a dual purpose. It's proof of purchase for the customer AND a data point for the government's tax bureau. When a business issues a `fāpiào`, they are officially logging the revenue, making it impossible to hide that income from tax authorities.
  * **The Fapiao Lottery (发票刮奖 fāpiào guājiǎng):** To incentivize consumers to enforce this system, the government created the `fapiao` lottery. Many `fāpiào` (especially for smaller consumer transactions) have a scratch-off section (`刮奖区 guājiǎng qū`). Consumers can scratch it to reveal if they've won a small cash prize (typically ¥5 to ¥100). This clever system turns millions of consumers into willing deputies of the tax bureau. By asking for a `fāpiào` to try their luck, they are simultaneously ensuring the vendor reports the sale. This highlights a pragmatic approach to governance and public participation.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
Knowing how to handle `fāpiào` is a non-negotiable survival skill for business travelers or expats in China.
  * **Getting Reimbursed (报销 bàoxiāo):** The number one reason you'll need a `fāpiào` is for work. If you take a client to dinner, buy office supplies, or take a taxi for a meeting, you //must// get a `fāpiào` to have the expense reimbursed by your company. A simple credit card slip or cash register receipt (`小票 xiǎopiào`) will not be accepted.
  * **How to Ask for a Fapiao:**
    * The most common phrase is: **"你好，可以开发票吗？" (Nǐ hǎo, kěyǐ kāi fāpiào ma?)** - "Hello, can you issue a fapiao?"
    * The vendor will then ask for the company name: **"发票抬头是什么？" (Fāpiào táitóu shì shénme?)** - "What's the company name for the fapiao?"
    * You must provide the exact, official company name (`抬头 táitóu`). For larger amounts or specific business types, you may also need to provide the company's Taxpayer Identification Number (`税号 shuìhào`).
  * **Types of Fapiao:**
    * **General Fapiao (`普通发票 pǔtōng fāpiào`):** Used for most day-to-day transactions.
    * **Electronic Fapiao (`电子发票 diànzǐ fāpiào`):** Increasingly common, sent as a PDF to your email or WeChat. Very convenient but you must have a way to receive it digitally.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 服务员，买单。麻烦开一张**发票**。
    * Pinyin: Fúwùyuán, mǎidān. Máfán kāi yī zhāng **fāpiào**.
    * English: Waiter, the bill please. Could you please issue an invoice?
    * Analysis: A standard, polite way to ask for a `fāpiào` at a restaurant after a meal. `麻烦 (máfán)` adds a layer of politeness, meaning "to trouble you."
  * **Example 2:**
    * 这笔钱我要报销，所以必须有**发票**。
    * Pinyin: Zhè bǐ qián wǒ yào bàoxiāo, suǒyǐ bìxū yǒu **fāpiào**.
    * English: I need to get this sum of money reimbursed, so I must have a fapiao.
    * Analysis: This sentence clearly states the reason for needing the `fāpiào`. `报销 (bàoxiāo)` is the key verb for "to reimburse."
  * **Example 3:**
    * **发票**的抬头请写“ contextualchinese.com 有限公司”。
    * Pinyin: **Fāpiào** de táitóu qǐng xiě “contextualchinese.com yǒuxiàn gōngsī”.
    * English: For the fapiao's company name, please write "contextualchinese.com Ltd."
    * Analysis: `抬头 (táitóu)` is the specific vocabulary for the company name printed on a `fāpiào`. You must provide the full, registered name.
  * **Example 4:**
    * 对不起，我们这里只能开普通**发票**，不能开专用**发票**。
    * Pinyin: Duìbùqǐ, wǒmen zhèlǐ zhǐ néng kāi pǔtōng **fāpiào**, bùnéng kāi zhuānyòng **fāpiào**.
    * English: Sorry, we can only issue general fapiaos here, not special VAT fapiaos.
    * Analysis: This shows a common situation where a small business might not be able to provide the specific type of VAT `fapiao` a larger corporation might need.
  * **Example 5:**
    * 你的电子**发票**已经发到你的微信了，请查收。
    * Pinyin: Nǐ de diànzǐ **fāpiào** yǐjīng fā dào nǐ de wēixìn le, qǐng cháshōu.
    * English: Your electronic fapiao has been sent to your WeChat. Please check for it.
    * Analysis: Highlights the modern shift to `电子发票 (diànzǐ fāpiào)`, which are often transferred via apps like WeChat. `请查收 (qǐng cháshōu)` is a formal way to say "please check and receive."
  * **Example 6:**
    * 师傅，出租车费可以开**发票**吗？
    * Pinyin: Shīfù, chūzū chē fèi kěyǐ kāi **fāpiào** ma?
    * English: Driver, can you issue a fapiao for the taxi fare?
    * Analysis: `师傅 (shīfù)` is a common and respectful way to address blue-collar workers, including taxi drivers. Taxi `fapiao` are often a pre-printed roll of receipts.
  * **Example 7:**
    * 哈哈，我的**发票**刮中了十块钱！
    * Pinyin: Hāhā, wǒ de **fāpiào** guā zhòngle shí kuài qián!
    * English: Haha, my fapiao won ten yuan from the scratch-off!
    * Analysis: This shows the "lottery" aspect of the `fapiao`. `刮中 (guā zhòng)` means to win by scratching.
  * **Example 8:**
    * 没有**发票**，公司的财务是不会给你报销的。
    * Pinyin: Méiyǒu **fāpiào**, gōngsī de cáiwù shì bù huì gěi nǐ bàoxiāo de.
    * English: Without a fapiao, the company's finance department will not reimburse you.
    * Analysis: This sentence emphasizes the non-negotiable nature of the `fapiao` for corporate reimbursement. `财务 (cáiwù)` means finance department.
  * **Example 9:**
    * 您好，开**发票**需要提供一下公司的税号。
    * Pinyin: Nín hǎo, kāi **fāpiào** xūyào tígōng yīxià gōngsī de shuìhào.
    * English: Hello, to issue the fapiao, you'll need to provide the company's tax ID number.
    * Analysis: `税号 (shuìhào)` is the tax ID number, another crucial piece of information often required.
  * **Example 10:**
    * 这张**发票**金额不对，能帮我重开一张吗？
    * Pinyin: Zhè zhāng **fāpiào** jīn'é bùduì, néng bāng wǒ chóng kāi yī zhāng ma?
    * English: The amount on this fapiao is incorrect. Can you help me reissue a new one?
    * Analysis: A practical sentence for when there's an error. `重开 (chóng kāi)` means "to re-issue."
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **Fapiao (发票) vs. Receipt (小票 xiǎopiào):** This is the most critical distinction. A `小票 (xiǎopiào)` is the flimsy, cash-register printout you get at a supermarket. A `发票 (fāpiào)` is the official, larger-format document needed for reimbursement. Foreigners often save the `xiǎopiào` and throw away the `fāpiào`, only to find they can't get their money back. **Rule of thumb: Always ask for the `fāpiào` specifically.**
  * **Incorrect Verb:** The verb for issuing a `fapiao` is **`开 (kāi)`**, as in `开发票 (kāi fāpiào)`. Using other verbs like `给 (gěi)` or `做 (zuò)` sounds unnatural.
  * **Forgetting the Company Name (抬头 táitóu):** You cannot get a blank `fapiao`. It must be issued to a specific entity. If you are a tourist and don't need it for reimbursement, you can ask for it to be issued to `个人 (gèrén)`, meaning "individual," but it will then be useless for company reimbursement.
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[报销]] (bàoxiāo) - To get reimbursed for expenses. This is the primary motivation for collecting `fāpiào`.
  * [[小票]] (xiǎopiào) - The informal cash register receipt; NOT a `fāpiào` and cannot be used for reimbursement.
  * [[抬头]] (táitóu) - The official company name that must be printed on the `fāpiào`.
  * [[税号]] (shuìhào) - The company's tax identification number, often required along with the `táitóu`.
  * [[开发票]] (kāi fāpiào) - The set verb phrase meaning "to issue a fapiao."
  * [[电子发票]] (diànzǐ fāpiào) - An electronic `fapiao`, usually a PDF, which is now very common and legally valid.
  * [[收据]] (shōujù) - A general term for a receipt. While more formal than a `xiǎopiào`, it is usually handwritten and not an official tax document like a `fāpiào`.
  * [[增值税]] (zēngzhíshuì) - Value-Added Tax (VAT). `Fāpiào` are a key part of the VAT system in China.