销账

You use it as a verb. Usually, the person receiving the money does the 销账. For example, a bank or a store will 销账 after you pay your bill. You can also use it when talking about business expenses. If you turn in a receipt, the company will 销账 for that advance payment.

Use this in any situation involving money and records.

• At a bank when closing a credit card debt.
• At a small local shop where you have a 'tab.'
• In an office when settling travel expenses.
• When talking to a friend who finally paid you back for lunch.

It feels satisfying to say because it implies a completed task.

Don't use it for emotional 'debts.' If a friend apologizes for being late, you don't 销账. Use 算了 (forget it) instead. Also, don't use it for physical cleaning. You can't 销账 a dirty window. It is strictly for records, numbers, and accounts.

In old China, many people bought things on credit at local markets. Shopkeepers kept a physical book called a 账本. When the customer paid at the end of the month, the shopkeeper would literally brush ink over the entry. This was the original 销账. Today, it is mostly digital, but the feeling of relief remains the same.

You might hear 核销 (héxiāo) in very formal business meetings. This means 'to audit and cancel.' In casual speech, people sometimes just say 结账 (jiézhàng), which means 'to settle the bill.' However, 销账 specifically emphasizes the removal of the debt record.