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服务费 (fú wù fèi) — service charge (e.g., automatically added to a restaurant bill); cover charge (entry fee at a bar, club, or entertainment venue)

Definition

A fee added for a service or entry — such as a service charge on a restaurant bill, or a cover charge at a club or bar. Not a tip (小费); it's a mandatory amount the venue sets.

noun
service charge (e.g., automatically added to a restaurant bill)cover charge (entry fee at a bar, club, or entertainment venue)
Measure word · 笔

Examples

  • 10%服务费。
    Zhè jiā cān tīng de zhàng dān yǐ jīng bāo hán le 10% de fú wù fèi.
    This restaurant's bill already includes a 10% service charge.
  • ，服务费。
    Rù zhù jiǔ diàn shí, qián tái huì gào zhī nín shì fǒu shōu qǔ fú wù fèi.
    When checking into the hotel, the front desk will inform you whether a service fee is charged.
  • 服务费。
    Nà jiā yè zǒng huì de fú wù fèi shì měi rén wǔ shí yuán.
    The cover charge at that nightclub is fifty yuan per person.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

服务service
服fúserve务wùaffairs
动宾Verb + object
费fèifee

A 费 for 服务, serving affairs, is a service charge.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
凡凡fántray
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠬝
𠬝𠬝服fú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 服, the part 𠬝 was the original picture for 'to subdue'; the added left part 凡, a tray, later changed shape.

Open 服 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 務; 务 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
敄
敄wù務wù
Same sound today

In the traditional form 務, 力 shows the sense of strength or effort, while 敄 gives the sound. The simplified 务 is a later shorthand.

Open 务 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 費; 费 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèicowry
Sound part声符shēngfú
弗
弗fú費fèi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 費 has 貝, a cowry shell, and 弗, which gives a sound; the simplified 费 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 费 →
Appears in
Money & Currency

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