【Learn Chinese】How to Pay Utility Bills with WeChat

Navigating everyday tasks and paying bills in China can be quite challenging, especially for the newcomers. In this article, we’ll show you how to pay your utility bills with WeChat, while also picking up some useful Chinese words along the way.

Before we dive into the instructions, let’s explore essential vocabulary related to utility bills that can be helpful.
生活费用 (shēnghuó fèiyòng) - living expenses
水费 (shuǐ fèi) -water rate
煤气费 (méiqì fèi) - gas rate
电费 (diàn fèi) - eletricity rate
宽带费 (kuāndài fèi) - broadband rate
有线电视 (yǒuxiàn diànshì) - cable TV
供暖费 (gōngnuǎn fèi) - heating fee

02. Utilities Payment
When it comes to online bill payments, WeChat 微信 (wēixìn) often stands out as the top choice. Some bills, such as water bills, may include QR-codes that directly lead to the payment step. However, since not all bills are as straightforward, let’s walk through a step-by-step guide on using WeChat’s Services to make online payments.

Step 01: Open WeChat - Me - Services - Utilities.
Step 02: Select the bill category you need to pay.
Step 03: Choose service provider. Match the characters within the app to those in the utility company’s name, which can be found at the top of your paper bill.
Step 04: Enter Household Account Number. Click at 缴费户号 (jiǎofèi hù hào, payment account number) button.
Step 05: Enter an 8-10 digit code. This code is your household payment number, and you can find it on your paper bill (right next to the characters 缴费户号). Enter the green button and make a payment.