shuǐdiànfèi: 水电费 - Utility Bill(s), Water and Electricity Fees

• Keywords: shuǐdiànfèi, 水电费, utility bill in China, water and electricity fee, how to pay bills in China, Chinese for utilities, living expenses in China, renting an apartment in China, Chinese vocabulary for daily life.
• Summary: 水电费 (shuǐdiànfèi) is the essential Chinese term for “utility bills,” specifically referring to the combined “water and electricity fees.” This is a crucial vocabulary word for anyone living, working, or studying in China, as it relates directly to daily expenses and renting an apartment. Understanding how to discuss, ask about, and pay your 水电费 is a fundamental skill for navigating everyday life in China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shuǐ-diàn-fèi
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: The fee or bill for water and electricity usage.
• In a Nutshell: 水电费 is a straightforward and practical compound word that literally means “water-electricity-fee.” It's one of the most common terms you'll encounter when dealing with housing and monthly expenses. While it specifically names water and electricity, it's often used as a general shorthand for the main utility costs of a household.

• 水 (shuǐ): Water. This is one of the most basic Chinese characters, a pictogram originally depicting a flowing river.
• 电 (diàn): Electricity, lightning. This character is wonderfully descriptive. The top part is 雨 (yǔ), meaning “rain,” and the bottom part depicts a lightning bolt stretching down from the clouds. Rain + lightning = electricity.
• 费 (fèi): Fee, cost, expense. The bottom radical 贝 (bèi) means “shell,” which was used as an early form of currency in ancient China, so it is often found in characters related to money and value.

When you combine them, 水 (water) + 电 (electricity) + 费 (fee) creates the logical and transparent term “water and electricity fee.”

The concept of paying for utilities is universal, but the cultural significance of 水电费 in China lies in its connection to the rapid modernization of daily life. In the past, paying bills involved a trip to the local post office or bank branch, waiting in line, and paying with cash. Today, the process is almost entirely digital. The act of “paying the 水电费” has become a prime example of China's leap into a cashless society. The overwhelming majority of people now pay their utility bills instantly through super-apps like Alipay (支付宝) and WeChat Pay (微信支付). This shift from a bureaucratic, in-person task to a few taps on a smartphone reflects a major cultural and technological change. Compared to the American/Western concept of a “utility bill,” which might be a single, consolidated statement from one company bundling gas, water, and electricity, 水电费 is more specific. It traditionally refers to just water and electricity. Other common household expenses like the gas fee (`煤气费 méiqìfèi`), internet fee (`网费 wǎngfèi`), and property management fee (`物业费 wùyèfèi`) are typically considered separate items, although one might casually group them all under the umbrella of household expenses. For a foreigner, knowing to ask about these other fees in addition to 水电费 is a key part of securing an apartment.

水电费 is a neutral, high-frequency term used in everyday conversations about living arrangements and expenses.

• Renting an Apartment: This is the most common context. Landlords and tenants will always discuss how the 水电费 is to be paid. Key questions include whether it's included in the rent (uncommon) and what the payment method is.
• Roommate Life: Roommates frequently use this term when discussing how to split the monthly bills.
• Mobile Payments: In conversation, people will often talk about paying the 水电费 through a specific app, e.g., “我用微信交水电费” (I use WeChat to pay the utility bill).
• General Expenses: People might complain about the high cost of living by mentioning rising rent and 水电费.

The term itself is neither formal nor informal; it is simply the standard, correct term to use in any context, from a casual chat with friends to a formal rental contract.

• Example 1:
  • 这个月的水电费是多少钱？
  • Pinyin: Zhège yuè de shuǐdiànfèi shì duōshǎo qián?
  • English: How much is the utility bill this month?
  • Analysis: A basic and essential question for your landlord or roommate.
• Example 2:
  • 别忘了，我们得在月底前交水电费。
  • Pinyin: Bié wàng le, wǒmen děi zài yuèdǐ qián jiāo shuǐdiànfèi.
  • English: Don't forget, we have to pay the utility bill before the end of the month.
  • Analysis: `交 (jiāo)` is the standard verb for “to pay” in this context.
• Example 3:
  • 夏天一直开空调，水电费肯定很贵。
  • Pinyin: Xiàtiān yìzhí kāi kōngtiáo, shuǐdiànfèi kěndìng hěn guì.
  • English: Running the air conditioner all summer, the utility bill is definitely going to be expensive.
  • Analysis: This shows how 水电费 is directly linked to lifestyle and consumption habits.
• Example 4:
  • 房租是每月三千，不包括水电费。
  • Pinyin: Fángzū shì měi yuè sānqiān, bù bāokuò shuǐdiànfèi.
  • English: The rent is 3000 per month, not including utilities.
  • Analysis: A very common phrase you will hear from real estate agents or landlords. `不包括 (bù bāokuò)` means “does not include.”
• Example 5:
  • 我们两个人平分水电费，怎么样？
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen liǎng ge rén píngfēn shuǐdiànfèi, zěnmeyàng?
  • English: How about the two of us split the utility bill evenly?
  • Analysis: `平分 (píngfēn)` is the key verb here, meaning “to divide equally.”
• Example 6:
  • 现在用支付宝交水电费特别方便，一分钟就搞定了。
  • Pinyin: Xiànzài yòng Zhīfùbǎo jiāo shuǐdiànfèi tèbié fāngbiàn, yì fēnzhōng jiù gǎodìng le.
  • English: It's super convenient to pay the utility bill with Alipay now, it only takes a minute to get it done.
  • Analysis: This highlights the modern, digital way of handling bills in China. `搞定 (gǎodìng)` is a colloquial term for “to handle” or “to get something done.”
• Example 7:
  • 糟糕，家里停电了！我是不是忘了交水电费？
  • Pinyin: Zāogāo, jiā lǐ tíngdiàn le! Wǒ shì bu shì wàng le jiāo shuǐdiànfèi?
  • English: Oh no, the power is out! Did I forget to pay the utility bill?
  • Analysis: This shows the direct consequence of not paying the 水电费.
• Example 8:
  • 我们的水电费账单是直接发到手机上的。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de shuǐdiànfèi zhàngdān shì zhíjiē fā dào shǒujī shàng de.
  • English: Our utility bill is sent directly to our phones.
  • Analysis: `账单 (zhàngdān)` means “bill” or “statement.”
• Example 9:
  • 在中国生活，每个月的房租和水电费是一笔不小的开销。
  • Pinyin: Zài Zhōngguó shēnghuó, měi ge yuè de fángzū hé shuǐdiànfèi shì yì bǐ bù xiǎo de kāixiāo.
  • English: Living in China, the monthly rent and utilities are a significant expense.
  • Analysis: This sentence contextualizes 水电费 within the broader topic of the cost of living. `开销 (kāixiāo)` means “expenses.”
• Example 10:
  • 请问，查询水电费余额需要户号吗？
  • Pinyin: Qǐngwèn, cháxún shuǐdiànfèi yú'é xūyào hùhào ma?
  • English: Excuse me, do I need the account number to check the utility bill balance?
  • Analysis: A practical question you might ask a utility company or property manager. `余额 (yú'é)` is “balance” and `户号 (hùhào)` is “account number.”

• Mistake: Assuming it covers everything. The most common mistake for learners is to assume 水电费 is a direct translation of “utilities” and therefore includes gas, internet, etc.
  • Incorrect: 我的水电费包括网费。 (Wǒ de shuǐdiànfèi bāokuò wǎngfèi.) - My utility bill includes the internet fee.
  • Why it's unclear: While a landlord might offer a package deal, the term 水电费 itself does not inherently include the internet.
  • Correct: 房租包括水电费和网费。 (Fángzū bāokuò shuǐdiànfèi hé wǎngfèi.) - The rent includes water, electricity, and internet fees. This is much clearer.
• Nuance: Shorthand vs. Specifics. In a casual conversation, someone might complain about “水电费” being high while really thinking about the total cost of all their household bills. However, in any formal or specific context (like signing a lease or paying a bill), you must be clear about which fees are being discussed. Always clarify if `煤气费 (méiqìfèi)` and `网费 (wǎngfèi)` are separate.

• 房租 (fángzū) - Rent; the largest monthly expense usually discussed alongside 水电费.
• 物业费 (wùyèfèi) - Property management fee; a separate monthly or quarterly fee in many apartment complexes for maintenance, security, and cleaning of common areas.
• 煤气费 (méiqìfèi) - Gas fee; the bill for natural gas, typically used for cooking and hot water. It is almost always separate from 水电费.
• 网费 (wǎngfèi) - Internet fee; another essential modern utility that is billed separately.
• 押金 (yājīn) - Security deposit; a lump sum paid at the beginning of a lease, related to the overall cost of renting.
• 交 (jiāo) - To pay, to hand in; the most common verb used with bills (e.g., 交水电费).
• 账单 (zhàngdān) - A bill, an invoice; the document or digital notification for your 水电费.
• 开销 (kāixiāo) - Expenses, expenditure; the broader category of costs that includes 水电费.
• 支付宝 (Zhīfùbǎo) - Alipay; one of the two main mobile platforms used to pay for everything in China, including utility bills.
• 微信支付 (Wēixìn Zhīfù) - WeChat Pay; the other dominant mobile payment system.