shōukuǎnmǎ: 收款码 - Payment QR Code, Receive Money Code

• Keywords: shoukuanma, 收款码, Chinese QR code, payment code, receive money code, WeChat Pay code, Alipay code, how to pay in China, mobile payments China, scan to pay
• Summary: The 收款码 (shōukuǎnmǎ) is the ubiquitous QR code used to receive money in China, forming the backbone of its world-leading mobile payment system. Found everywhere from high-end malls to street food stalls, this “receive money code” allows vendors and individuals to get paid instantly through apps like WeChat Pay and Alipay. Understanding the shōukuǎnmǎ is essential for anyone wanting to navigate daily life and commerce in modern China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shōu kuǎn mǎ
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: N/A (Modern essential vocabulary)
• Concise Definition: A QR code used to receive payments via a mobile application.
• In a Nutshell: A 收款码 is a unique, scannable image that is linked to a person's or business's digital wallet (like WeChat Pay or Alipay). When you want to pay them, you simply open your own payment app, scan their code, enter the amount, and confirm. It's the digital equivalent of a cash register, credit card terminal, or giving someone your Venmo handle, all rolled into one incredibly convenient and widespread system.

• 收 (shōu): To receive, to accept, to collect. The character shows a hand reaching out to gather or take something in.
• 款 (kuǎn): A sum of money, funds. This character signifies the “what” of the transaction—the money.
• 码 (mǎ): Code. The stone radical (石) on the left hints at a marker or a block, which evolved to mean “number” and, in the digital age, “code.”

When combined, 收款码 (shōukuǎnmǎ) literally translates to “receive money code,” a perfectly descriptive name for its function.

The 收款码 is more than just a piece of technology; it's a symbol of China's “cashless revolution.” In the West, the transition from cash went through a long and established credit card era. China, however, largely leapfrogged this stage, moving directly from a cash-heavy society to a mobile-first payment ecosystem.

• Comparison to Western Systems: While QR codes for payment exist in the West (e.g., on some restaurant bills or via PayPal/Venmo), they are nowhere near as universal. The Western equivalent is a fragmented system: credit card terminals (POS machines) for businesses, Zelle or Venmo for peer-to-peer transfers, and bank transfers for larger sums. The 收款码 unifies all of these functions into a single, incredibly low-barrier system. A farmer selling watermelons on the side of the road can have the same payment capability as a Starbucks, simply by printing their personal QR code on a piece of paper.
• Cultural Values: The adoption of the 收款码 reflects a deep-seated pragmatism and an astonishing speed of technological adoption in Chinese society. It democratized digital commerce, empowering small and micro-entrepreneurs instantly. This phenomenon is a testament to the power of China's “super-apps” (WeChat and Alipay), which integrate social networking, finance, and daily life into a single, seamless experience. For a visitor, seeing a 收款码 at a remote temple's donation box or a tiny noodle stand is a powerful illustration of modern China.

You will encounter the 收款码 in virtually every transactional situation in China.

• Static Merchant Codes: This is the most common form. A business—be it a restaurant, convenience store, or street vendor—will have a laminated printout of their 收款码 at the checkout counter or on their stall. The customer scans this code, types in the payment amount manually, and confirms with their password or Face ID.
• Personal Codes: When you need to pay a friend back for lunch or give a relative a digital red envelope, you can ask them to show you their personal 收款码 on their phone screen. You scan it, enter the amount, and transfer the money directly to them.
• Dynamic Merchant Codes: At larger retailers like supermarkets or chain stores, the cashier will often use a scanner gun to scan a code from *your* phone (see `付款码` below). However, sometimes their point-of-sale system will generate a unique, one-time 收款码 on a screen for the exact bill amount. You scan this code, and the amount is already pre-filled for you to confirm.

The term itself is used neutrally and informally in daily conversation.

• Example 1:
  • 老板，我扫一下你的收款码。
  • Pinyin: Lǎobǎn, wǒ sǎo yīxià nǐ de shōukuǎnmǎ.
  • English: Boss, I'll scan your payment QR code.
  • Analysis: A very common and polite phrase used when you are ready to pay at any small shop or restaurant. `老板 (lǎobǎn)` is a general term for any shop owner.
• Example 2:
  • 你把你的收款码发给我，我把钱转给你。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ bǎ nǐ de shōukuǎnmǎ fā gěi wǒ, wǒ bǎ qián zhuǎn gěi nǐ.
  • English: Send me your payment code, and I'll transfer the money to you.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates peer-to-peer usage. `发 (fā)` means “to send,” typically via a messaging app like WeChat. `转 (zhuǎn)` means “to transfer.”
• Example 3:
  • 不好意思，这个收款码好像有点模糊，我的手机扫不出来。
  • Pinyin: Bù hǎoyìsi, zhège shōukuǎnmǎ hǎoxiàng yǒudiǎn móhú, wǒ de shǒujī sǎo bù chūlái.
  • English: Excuse me, this payment code seems a bit blurry, my phone can't scan it.
  • Analysis: A practical sentence for troubleshooting a common problem. `扫不出来 (sǎo bù chūlái)` is a resultative complement meaning “unable to scan successfully.”
• Example 4:
  • 这是支付宝的收款码还是微信的？
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì zhīfùbǎo de shōukuǎnmǎ háishì wēixìn de?
  • English: Is this an Alipay payment code or a WeChat one?
  • Analysis: Crucial question. Most vendors have two separate codes, or a combined one. You need to use the corresponding app (Alipay or WeChat Pay) to scan the correct code.
• Example 5:
  • 现在连路边卖红薯的阿姨都有自己的收款码了。
  • Pinyin: Xiànzài lián lùbiān mài hóngshǔ de āyí dōu yǒu zìjǐ de shōukuǎnmǎ le.
  • English: Nowadays, even the aunties selling sweet potatoes on the roadside have their own payment codes.
  • Analysis: This sentence expresses amazement at the ubiquity of mobile payments in China. `连…都… (lián…dōu…)` means “even…”.
• Example 6:
  • 我把收款码打印出来贴在墙上了，这样顾客付款更方便。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bǎ shōukuǎnmǎ dǎyìn chūlái tiē zài qiáng shàng le, zhèyàng gùkè fùkuǎn gèng fāngbiàn.
  • English: I printed out the payment code and stuck it on the wall, so it's more convenient for customers to pay.
  • Analysis: Shows the simple, low-tech application of this high-tech system. `打印 (dǎyìn)` means “to print,” and `贴 (tiē)` means “to stick.”
• Example 7:
  • 请问你们的收款码在哪里？我没找到。
  • Pinyin: Qǐngwèn nǐmen de shōukuǎnmǎ zài nǎlǐ? Wǒ méi zhǎodào.
  • English: Excuse me, where is your payment code? I didn't find it.
  • Analysis: A straightforward and useful question for a customer at a checkout counter.
• Example 8:
  • 付款前请确认收款码是本店的，谨防诈骗。
  • Pinyin: Fùkuǎn qián qǐng quèrèn shōukuǎnmǎ shì běn diàn de, jǐnfáng zhàpiàn.
  • English: Before paying, please confirm the payment code belongs to this store to prevent fraud.
  • Analysis: This is a formal warning you might see on a sign. It highlights a potential security risk where fraudsters might paste their own code over a legitimate one. `谨防诈骗 (jǐnfáng zhàpiàn)` means “beware of fraud.”
• Example 9:
  • 你需要先在微信里找到“我”，然后点击“服务”，才能看到你的个人收款码。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ xūyào xiān zài wēixìn lǐ zhǎodào “wǒ”, ránhòu diǎnjī “fúwù”, cáinéng kàn dào nǐ de gèrén shōukuǎnmǎ.
  • English: You first need to find “Me” in WeChat, then click “Services,” and only then can you see your personal payment code.
  • Analysis: Practical instructions for helping someone find their own personal code within the WeChat app.
• Example 10:
  • 我们公司正在申请一个聚合收款码，这样客户用支付宝和微信都能扫。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī zhèngzài shēnqǐng yīgè jùhé shōukuǎnmǎ, zhèyàng kèhù yòng zhīfùbǎo hé wēixìn dōu néng sǎo.
  • English: Our company is applying for an aggregated payment code, so customers can scan it using either Alipay or WeChat.
  • Analysis: Introduces the advanced concept of a `聚合 (jùhé)` or “aggregated” code that works for multiple payment platforms, which is common for larger businesses.

• 收款码 (shōukuǎnmǎ) vs. 付款码 (fùkuǎnmǎ): This is the single most important distinction for a learner.
  • 收款码 (shōukuǎnmǎ - receive money code): This is the code a vendor shows you. You scan their code to send them money.
  • 付款码 (fùkuǎnmǎ - make payment code): This is the code on your phone's app that you show to a cashier. They scan your code to take money from your account. This is common at large supermarkets and chain stores with barcode scanners.
  • Mistake: Never show your `付款码 (fùkuǎnmǎ)` to someone asking to scan your “payment code” in an informal setting (like paying a friend or at a market). You show them *your* `收款码` or you scan *theirs*. Showing your `付款码` is like handing over a blank, signed check.
• Not a “Barcode”: While technically a type of 2D barcode, no one in China calls it that in this context. The general term for a QR code is `二维码 (èrwéimǎ)`. The specific term for a payment QR code is `收款码`. Using the English word “barcode” will likely cause confusion.

• `付款码 (fùkuǎnmǎ)` - Payment Code. The functional opposite of a `收款码`. It's the code on your phone that a merchant scans to deduct money from your account.
• `二维码 (èrwéimǎ)` - QR Code. The underlying technology. A `收款码` is a specific type of `二维码`.
• `扫一扫 (sǎo yī sǎo)` - Scan / “Scan it”. The verb phrase describing the action of using your phone's camera to read a QR code.
• `移动支付 (yídòng zhīfù)` - Mobile Payment. The entire economic ecosystem that `收款码` is a key part of.
• `支付宝 (zhīfùbǎo)` - Alipay. One of the two dominant mobile payment platforms, owned by Alibaba/Ant Group.
• `微信支付 (wēixìn zhīfù)` - WeChat Pay. The other major payment platform, integrated into the WeChat super-app.
• `转账 (zhuǎnzhàng)` - To transfer money. This is the financial action you perform when you use a `收款码` to pay an individual.
• `收银台 (shōuyíntái)` - Checkout Counter / Cashier. The physical location where you'd traditionally pay and now almost always find a `收款码`.
• `数字钱包 (shùzì qiánbāo)` - Digital Wallet. The concept behind your WeChat Pay or Alipay account where your money is stored.