你
Hello, I just moved in and would like to ask how to pay the water, electricity, and gas bills.
Beginner · 7-9 min
Ask How to Pay the Utilities询问水电燃气费怎么交
After this scene, you can ask how to pay household utility bills, find the account numbers, follow the steps for linking them in Alipay, and confirm how the property-management fee is paid.
Learning
Scene setup
You have just moved into an apartment and need to set up routine household payments. In many Chinese residential compounds, water, electricity, and gas are tied to separate account numbers, while property-management fees may use a different payment channel. The apartment handover form often records the utility account numbers. You go to the property office to ask how to find those numbers, link them in Alipay, and pay the property-management fee.
Core dialogue
物业工作人员
They can all be paid on your phone.
你
What exactly do I need to do?
物业工作人员
Open Alipay, find “Utilities,” and then enter the utility account number.
你
Where can I find the account number?
物业工作人员
They are on the apartment handover form. The account numbers for water, electricity, and gas are all listed there.
你
Do I need to link the accounts the first time I pay?
物业工作人员
Yes. After linking them, you can see both the charges and usage on your phone.
你
Is the property-management fee paid the same way?
物业工作人员
Scan the property office’s QR code to pay the property-management fee. It is different from the utility bills.
你
Okay, I understand. Thank you.
物业工作人员
You’re welcome. If you have any questions, you can come back and ask.
Key phrases
Pick a phrase and see what it means here, and how to reuse it.
Phrase Card
Phrase 1 of 6
shuǐ水diàn电rán燃qì气fèi费
water, electricity, and gas bills
From the dialogue
你:您好，我刚搬进来，想问一下水电燃气费怎么交？
Hello, I just moved in and would like to ask how to pay the water, electricity, and gas bills.
物业工作人员:物业费扫物业的二维码交，和水电燃气费不一样。
Scan the property office’s QR code to pay the property-management fee. It is different from the utility bills.
Use it here
Use 水电燃气费 as a compact way to refer to the three main household utility bills.
Say it another way
- shuǐ水diàn电rán燃qì气fèi费zěn怎me么jiāo交？
How do I pay the water, electricity, and gas bills?
- zhè这ge个yuè月de的shuǐ水diàn电rán燃qì气fèi费
this month’s utility bills
- shuǐ水diàn电rán燃qì气fèi费bù不bāo包kuò括zài在fáng房zū租lǐ里。
The utility bills are not included in the rent.
Patterns
Pick a pattern and see how it helps you say new things in the same scene.
Pattern Card
Pattern 1 of 3
想问一下 + Fee + 怎么交
Politely ask for the payment method for a particular bill or fee.
想问一下费用怎么交
费用 = the bill or fee you need to pay
From dialogue
- xiǎng想wèn问yí一xià下shuǐ水diàn电rán燃qì气fèi费zěn怎me么jiāo交？
I would like to ask how to pay the utility bills.
Try also
- xiǎng想wèn问yí一xià下wù物yè业fèi费zěn怎me么jiāo交？
I would like to ask how to pay the property-management fee.
- xiǎng想wèn问yí一xià下tíng停chē车fèi费zěn怎me么jiāo交？
I would like to ask how to pay the parking fee.
Common mistakes
Small fixes that make your Chinese sound natural.
1. Do not add 吗 after a 怎么 question
Not natural
水电燃气费怎么交吗？
Natural
水电燃气费怎么交？
Why
怎么 already makes this an open question, so the sentence does not need 吗.
2. Distinguish 户号 from 房间号
Not natural
然后输入房间号。
Natural
然后输入户号。
Why
The payment feature asks for the utility account number in this scene, which may differ from the apartment number.
3. Bind separate utility accounts separately
Not natural
三个户号绑定一次就可以。
Natural
三个户号要分别绑定。
Why
Water, electricity, and gas use separate account numbers, so each one must be added or linked separately.
Quick answers for this Chinese scene
What does 水电燃气费 mean in Chinese?
water, electricity, and gas bills Use 水电燃气费 as a compact way to refer to the three main household utility bills.
What does 生活缴费 mean in Chinese?
Utilities 生活缴费 is the name of the phone feature used here to manage common household bills.
What does 户号 mean in Chinese?
utility account number Use 户号 for the account number that identifies a utility account for payment.
What is a common ask how to pay the utilities mistake to avoid?
Say 水电燃气费怎么交？ instead of 水电燃气费怎么交吗？. 怎么 already makes this an open question, so the sentence does not need 吗.
What is a common ask how to pay the utilities mistake to avoid?
Say 然后输入户号。 instead of 然后输入房间号。. The payment feature asks for the utility account number in this scene, which may differ from the apartment number.
Connected learning path