缴纳 in 30 Seconds
- A formal verb meaning to pay taxes, fees, or dues to an authority.
- Commonly used in legal, business, and administrative contexts rather than daily shopping.
- Implies a mandatory or official obligation being fulfilled by the payer.
- Often paired with objects like 税款 (taxes), 会费 (membership fees), and 社保 (social security).
The Chinese verb 缴纳 (jiǎo nà) is a formal term that translates to 'to pay' or 'to hand over,' but its usage is strictly confined to official, legal, or institutional contexts. Unlike the common word 付 (fù), which you use when buying a cup of coffee or paying a friend back for lunch, 缴纳 implies a sense of obligation, duty, or the fulfillment of a regulatory requirement. It is the word you will encounter when dealing with the government, your employer's HR department, or a professional organization. Understanding this word is essential for navigating adult life in a Chinese-speaking environment, as it covers everything from taxes to social security contributions.
- Legal and Fiscal Obligations
- The most frequent use of 缴纳 is in the realm of taxation. Whether it is individual income tax (个人所得税), corporate tax (企业所得税), or value-added tax (增值税), the act of transferring those funds to the state is described as 缴纳. It suggests a mandatory contribution rather than a voluntary purchase.
- Institutional Fees and Dues
- When you pay membership dues to a political party, a professional guild, or a prestigious club, you are 缴纳会费 (paying membership fees). Similarly, paying tuition to a university or school is often formally referred to as 缴纳学费, emphasizing the institutional nature of the transaction.
- Social Welfare and Insurance
- In the workplace, both employees and employers must 缴纳 social security (社保) and housing fund (公积金) contributions. This usage highlights the systematic and recurring nature of these payments within the framework of national welfare systems.
所有公民都应当依法缴纳个人所得税。(All citizens should pay individual income tax according to the law.)
The word is composed of two characters: 缴 (jiǎo), which means to hand over or capture, and 纳 (nà), which means to receive or admit. Together, they create a formal cycle of giving to an authority. Because of its formal register, you will rarely hear it in a casual market or shop. If you used it to buy a snack, people would think you were joking or speaking like a lawyer. It carries a weight of formality that commands respect for the rules and regulations being followed.
逾期缴纳罚款将产生额外的滞纳金。(Late payment of fines will result in additional late fees.)
- Fines and Penalties
- When the law imposes a fine (罚款), the act of paying it is 缴纳. This is often seen on official notices or police citations. It marks the conclusion of a legal penalty process.
In summary, 缴纳 is the bridge between a person and an entity. It signifies that money is not just changing hands for a service, but is being contributed to a larger structure—be it the state, a school, or a social system. Its precision is what makes it a B2 level word; it requires the speaker to understand the social hierarchy and the nature of the transaction being performed.
Using 缴纳 (jiǎo nà) correctly requires placing it in a formal syntactic environment. Typically, the subject is a person (公民, 员工), a company (企业), or a member of a group (会员). The object is almost always a specific type of fee, tax, or contribution. Because this word is formal, it often appears alongside adverbs that emphasize compliance, such as 依法 (according to law), 按时 (on time), or 足额 (in full).
企业必须按时为员工缴纳社会保险费。(Enterprises must pay social insurance premiums for employees on time.)
One of the most common sentence patterns is: [Subject] + [Adverb] + 缴纳 + [Object]. For example, '村民们积极缴纳公粮' (The villagers actively paid their grain tax). Note that even though 'grain' isn't money, in a historical or specific administrative context, handing over goods as a tax still uses 缴纳.
- The 'For Someone' Construction
- In employment contexts, we use 为...缴纳 (pay for...). Example: 公司为我缴纳了五险一金 (The company paid the 'five insurances and one fund' for me). Here, the company is the actor fulfilling the legal duty on behalf of the employee.
- The 'Passive' or 'Requirement' Construction
- Often used with 需 (need to) or 应当 (should). Example: 申请签证需缴纳一定的手续费 (Applying for a visa requires paying a certain processing fee). This emphasizes the prerequisite nature of the payment.
In advanced writing, 缴纳 can be part of a resultative complement or a complex phrase. For instance, 缴纳完毕 (finished paying) or 拒不缴纳 (refuse to pay). The latter is a strong legal term used in court documents or news reports regarding tax evasion. Using these variations shows a deep command of formal Chinese syntax.
如果拒不缴纳罚金，法院将采取强制措施。(If the fine is refused to be paid, the court will take compulsory measures.)
Finally, remember that 缴纳 is a transitive verb. It needs an object. You can't just say '我已经缴纳了' unless the context of what was paid (like the tax or fee) was just mentioned in the previous sentence. It is a 'heavy' word, so use it to anchor your formal sentences with authority.
If you live in a Chinese-speaking city, you will hear and see 缴纳 (jiǎo nà) in very specific environments. It is the language of the 'system.' You won't hear it at a street food stall, but you will hear it the moment you step into a government service center (政务服务中心) or open a banking app.
- In the Workplace
- During an interview or when signing a contract, the HR manager might say: '公司会按照国家规定为您缴纳社保' (The company will pay social security for you according to national regulations). This is a crucial sentence for any employee to understand, as it relates to their legal benefits.
- At the Bank or Tax Office
- Bank tellers or automated machines will prompt you to 缴纳水电费 (pay utility bills—though 交 is more common for utilities, 缴纳 appears on formal receipts) or 缴纳契税 (pay deed tax) when buying property.
- In News and Media
- News broadcasts frequently use 缴纳 when reporting on government budgets, new tax laws, or high-profile cases of tax evasion. It provides a serious, objective tone to the reporting.
该运动员因未按时缴纳税款而面临处罚。(The athlete faces penalties for failing to pay taxes on time.)
You will also see this word on official websites. When you log into the 'Personal Income Tax' app in China, the buttons and instructions will consistently use 缴纳. It is a keyword for 'transactional compliance.' If you are looking for where to pay your dues online, look for the characters 缴纳 or simply 缴费 (jiǎofèi), which is its noun/shortened verb form.
In academic settings, professors might discuss the '义务缴纳' (obligatory payment) of certain historical tributes, showing the word's depth in historical and sociological discourse. It is a word that spans from the modern digital tax app to ancient historical texts, always maintaining its core meaning of 'official handing over.'
While 缴纳 (jiǎo nà) is a straightforward word in terms of its definition, its register and collocation restrictions lead to several common errors for English speakers who translate 'pay' too literally.
- Mistake 1: Casual Overuse
- English speakers often use 'pay' for everything. However, you cannot say *缴纳咖啡钱 (pay for coffee) or *缴纳午餐费 to a friend. This sounds absurdly formal, like you are treating a sandwich as a state tax.
Correct: Use 付 (fù) or 买单 (mǎidān) for casual transactions. - Mistake 2: Confusing with 'Pay Back'
- If you owe a friend money, you 'return' it (还 huán). 缴纳 is never used for personal debts between individuals. It is only for individuals/entities paying an authority.
- Mistake 3: Incorrect Objects
- You 缴纳 fees (费) or taxes (税). You do not *缴纳工资 (pay salary). An employer 发工资 (distributes/issues salary) or 支付工资 (pays salary). 缴纳 is for money going 'up' the hierarchy, not 'down' to employees.
Incorrect: 我去超市缴纳了水果钱。
Correct: 我去超市付了水果钱。
Another nuance is the difference between 缴纳 and 支付. 支付 is also formal, but it is much broader. You can 支付货款 (pay for goods) in a B2B transaction, but you wouldn't say 缴纳货款 unless it's some sort of mandatory state-mandated payment. 缴纳 always carries that 'mandatory contribution' flavor.
To truly master 缴纳 (jiǎo nà), you must understand its 'neighbors' in the Chinese vocabulary of payment. Choosing the right one depends on the context and the level of formality required.
- 缴纳 vs. 支付 (zhī fù)
- 支付 is the general formal word for 'to pay.' It is used in electronic payments (支付宝 - Alipay) and business contracts.
Key Difference: 支付 is commercial; 缴纳 is administrative/obligatory. - 缴纳 vs. 交 (jiāo)
- 交 is the short, multi-purpose version. You can 交作业 (hand in homework), 交朋友 (make friends), or 交电费 (pay electricity bill).
Key Difference: 交 is conversational and broad; 缴纳 is formal and specific to money/fees. - 缴纳 vs. 缴付 (jiǎo fù)
- These are very similar. 缴付 often focuses on the act of 'paying over' a specific amount of money, while 缴纳 focuses on the 'fulfillment of a duty.' They are often interchangeable in formal writing.
- 缴纳 vs. 呈交 (chéng jiāo)
- 呈交 means to 'respectfully submit.' It is used for documents, reports, or proposals.
Key Difference: 呈交 is for documents; 缴纳 is for funds.
Comparison:
1. 支付货款 (Paying for goods - Business)
2. 缴纳税金 (Paying taxes - Law)
3. 交水电费 (Paying utilities - Daily Life)
When in doubt, if you are dealing with the government or a large institution and money is flowing from you to them as a requirement, 缴纳 is your safest and most professional bet. Using 支付 in a tax context isn't 'wrong,' but it sounds slightly less precise. Using 缴纳 for a hotel bill, however, is definitely 'wrong' register-wise. Mastery of these synonyms is the hallmark of a B2/C1 level speaker.
How Formal Is It?
Fun Fact
Both characters in 缴纳 have the 'silk' radical (纟). This is because in ancient China, silk was often used as a form of currency or tribute to pay taxes to the emperor!
Pronunciation Guide
- Pronouncing 'jiǎo' as 'jiāo' (1st tone), which can sound like 'teaching' or 'submitting' in a different context.
- Pronouncing 'nà' as 'nuò', confusing it with characters like '承诺'.
Difficulty Rating
Requires recognizing the complex '缴' character and understanding formal context.
The character '缴' is stroke-heavy and difficult to write by hand.
Pronunciation is simple, but getting the tone right is key.
Common in news and formal announcements.
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Advanced
Examples by Level
请缴纳学费。
Please pay the tuition.
Simple Imperative: Verb + Object.
他缴纳了十块钱。
He paid ten yuan (formally).
Verb + 了 + Amount.
我要缴纳费用吗？
Do I need to pay the fee?
Question with 吗.
这里可以缴纳吗？
Can I pay here?
Modal verb '可以' + Verb.
请在这里缴纳。
Please pay here.
Adverbial of place + Verb.
他还没缴纳。
He hasn't paid yet.
Negative '还没' + Verb.
你缴纳了吗？
Have you paid?
Past tense question.
老师让我缴纳费用。
The teacher asked me to pay the fee.
Pivotal sentence with 让.
每个月都要缴纳电费。
Electricity bills must be paid every month.
Time adverbial + 都要 + Verb.
你可以用手机缴纳。
You can pay using your phone.
Instrumental '用' + Object + Verb.
他去银行缴纳罚款。
He went to the bank to pay the fine.
Serial verb construction: 去...缴纳.
我们需要缴纳多少钱？
How much money do we need to pay?
Question with 多少.
请按时缴纳学费。
Please pay tuition on time.
Adverb '按时' + Verb.
他忘记缴纳会费了。
He forgot to pay the membership fee.
Verb '忘记' + Verb phrase.
这个费用必须缴纳。
This fee must be paid.
Modal '必须' + Verb.
我缴纳了五十元。
I paid fifty yuan.
Verb + 了 + specific amount.
所有员工都必须缴纳社保。
All employees must pay social insurance.
Inclusive '所有...都' structure.
这是你应缴纳的税款。
This is the tax you should pay.
Attributive clause with 的.
逾期缴纳会有罚款。
There will be a fine for late payment.
Noun-like use of '逾期缴纳'.
公司已经为你缴纳了公积金。
The company has already paid the housing fund for you.
Prepositional '为' for beneficiary.
请问在哪里缴纳物业费？
Excuse me, where do I pay the property fee?
Locative '在哪里' + Verb.
他正在网上缴纳水电费。
He is paying the utility bills online.
Continuous aspect '正在'.
缴纳会费是会员的义务。
Paying membership fees is the duty of a member.
Verb phrase as a subject.
你需要缴纳一定的押金。
You need to pay a certain deposit.
Object with modifier '一定的'.
根据法律，公民有缴纳税款的义务。
According to the law, citizens have the obligation to pay taxes.
Prepositional '根据' + Noun.
该企业因未足额缴纳税款而被查处。
The enterprise was investigated for not paying taxes in full.
Passive '被' construction.
你可以选择分期缴纳这笔费用。
You can choose to pay this fee in installments.
Verb '选择' + Verb phrase.
请确保在截止日期前缴纳。
Please ensure payment is made before the deadline.
Imperative '请确保'.
他通过银行转账缴纳了罚金。
He paid the fine via bank transfer.
Prepositional '通过' showing method.
申请该项目需缴纳报名费。
Applying for this project requires paying a registration fee.
Conditional '需' + Verb.
逾期缴纳者将面临滞纳金。
Those who pay late will face late fees.
Agentive '者' suffix.
他已经全额缴纳了所有欠款。
He has paid all arrears in full.
Adverb '全额' + Verb.
强制缴纳公粮是历史上的制度。
Compulsory payment of grain tax is a historical system.
Formal historical context.
该政策旨在减轻小微企业缴纳社保的负担。
The policy aims to reduce the burden of social security payments for small and micro enterprises.
Complex purpose clause '旨在'.
拒不缴纳税款将受到严厉的法律制裁。
Refusal to pay taxes will be subject to severe legal sanctions.
Adverb '拒不' + Verb.
他因积极缴纳党费而受到表扬。
He was praised for actively paying his party dues.
Causal '因...而' structure.
关于如何缴纳遗产税，法律有明确规定。
The law has clear regulations on how to pay inheritance tax.
Topic-comment structure with '关于'.
这笔资金应由受益人按比例缴纳。
This fund should be paid by the beneficiaries proportionally.
Passive '由...缴纳'.
逾期不缴纳的，由税务机关责令限期缴纳。
Those who fail to pay on time shall be ordered by the tax authorities to pay within a time limit.
Legalistic conditional structure.
缴纳会费是维持协会运作的基础。
Paying membership fees is the basis for maintaining the association's operation.
Gerund-like subject phrase.
在全球化背景下，跨国公司如何缴纳税款成为难题。
In the context of globalization, how multinational corporations pay taxes has become a difficult problem.
Contextual '在...背景下'.
该项行政事业性收费的缴纳标准有所调整。
The payment standards for this administrative fee have been adjusted.
Highly formal noun phrase '行政事业性收费'.
公民对税收缴纳的知情权应当得到保障。
Citizens' right to know about tax payments should be guaranteed.
Abstract noun '知情权'.
法律对滞纳金的缴纳限额作了详细界定。
The law has made detailed definitions on the payment limits of late fees.
Formal verb '界定'.
通过优化流程，缴纳手续变得更加便捷。
By optimizing the process, payment procedures have become more convenient.
Prepositional '通过' + Gerund-like phrase.
部分人员存在逃避缴纳社会保险费的行为。
Some individuals have behaviors of evading social insurance premium payments.
Formal '存在...的行为' structure.
该协议规定了双方缴纳保证金的时间节点。
The agreement stipulates the time nodes for both parties to pay the security deposit.
Formal term '时间节点'.
依法足额缴纳税款是企业社会责任的体现。
Paying taxes in full and according to the law is a reflection of corporate social responsibility.
Complex subject as a definition of CSR.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
— The deadline or period within which a payment must be made.
请注意缴纳期限。
— The standard or rate at which a payment is calculated.
各地的缴纳标准不同。
— A voucher or receipt proving that a payment was made.
请保留好缴纳凭证。
— The method of payment (e.g., cash, online, transfer).
我们支持多种缴纳方式。
— The percentage or ratio of a payment (common in social security).
缴纳比例由政府规定。
— The specific amount of money to be paid.
请核对缴纳金额。
— The base amount used to calculate a tax or insurance payment.
社保缴纳基数调整了。
— The person or entity responsible for making the payment.
明确纳税的缴纳主体。
— A formal notice requesting payment.
我收到了缴纳通知书。
— The legal or contractual obligation to pay.
履行缴纳义务是必须的。
Idioms & Expressions
— Out of food and ammunition. While not containing '缴纳', it relates to the historical context of paying grain (粮) to the state.
部队陷入了粮尽弹绝的境地。
Literary— A major taxpayer; a company that pays a huge amount of tax.
这家公司是当地的纳税大户。
Economic— Literally 'paying public grain.' Historically a tax, now used metaphorically for fulfilling one's duty.
农民们排队去交公粮。
Historical/Colloquial— To recruit talented people. Uses the '纳' character meaning to receive/admit.
公司正在广开言路，招贤纳士。
Formal— A metaphor for performing a task to show loyalty (from Water Margin).
他为了加入团队，缴纳了投名状。
Literary/Metaphorical— To exhale the old and inhale the new. Uses '纳' as 'taking in'.
我们要不断吐故纳新，保持活力。
Formal— To enjoy good fortune. Uses '纳' as 'receiving'.
祝您晚年纳福。
Polite— To listen to words and follow plans. '从' is related to '纳' in the sense of accepting advice (采纳).
老板对他言听计从。
Idiomatic— To adopt or accept a suggestion. Uses '纳' as 'accepting'.
领导采纳了我的建议。
Formal— To pay a ransom. A specific use of 缴纳 for illegal or high-stakes contexts.
绑匪要求缴纳赎金。
NeutralWord Family
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Related
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Jiao' as 'Joining' the system and 'Na' as 'National' duty. You are joining the national system by paying.
Visual Association
Imagine a long silk thread (the radicals) connecting your wallet to a large government building.
Word Web
Challenge
Try to say 'I must pay the tax' in Chinese using 缴纳 three times fast: 我必须依法缴纳税款。
Word Origin
The character 缴 (jiǎo) contains the silk radical (纟), originally referring to silk threads or binding. It evolved to mean 'to hand over' or 'to capture'. 纳 (nà) also has the silk radical and originally meant to put silk threads into water or to bring something inside. Combined, they mean 'to hand over and be received.'
Original meaning: To hand over silk or tribute to an authority.
Sino-TibetanCultural Context
Be careful when discussing tax evasion; it is a sensitive legal topic in China. Use 缴纳 neutrally.
In English, we say 'pay taxes,' but in Chinese, using '缴纳' instead of '付' elevates the conversation to a formal, respectful level.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Taxation
Summary
缴纳 (jiǎo nà) is the 'official' way to say pay. Use it for taxes, fines, and fees to sound professional. Example: 依法缴纳税款 (Pay taxes according to the law).
- A formal verb meaning to pay taxes, fees, or dues to an authority.
- Commonly used in legal, business, and administrative contexts rather than daily shopping.
- Implies a mandatory or official obligation being fulfilled by the payer.
- Often paired with objects like 税款 (taxes), 会费 (membership fees), and 社保 (social security).
Related Content
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朝九晚五
B2From nine to five; regular working hours.
未免
B2Rather; a bit too; truly (implies something excessive).
废弃
B2To abandon; to discard; to cease to use.
恪守
B2To scrupulously observe; to strictly adhere to.
反常
B2abnormal, unusual
充裕
B2Abundant; ample.
充沛
B2Abundant; plentiful; full of energy.
门禁卡
B2Access card; entry card.
门禁
B2Access control (system).
配件
B2Fittings; accessories; spare parts.
