How to say “Can I have a receipt?” in Chinese
“Can I have a receipt?” in Chinese is 可以开发票吗？, written in pinyin as Kěyǐ kāi fāpiào ma?.
可以开发票吗？
Kěyǐ kāi fāpiào ma?
Can I have a receipt?
Word by word
What each part of 可以开发票吗？ actually means.
- 可以kěyǐcan / may
- 开kāito issue
- 发票fāpiàoofficial receipt
- 吗mayes/no question particle
When you use it
- Use it when a company or insurer needs proof of purchase — 发票 is the official tax document, a different object from a till slip.
- It also matters for insurance claims, where the official invoice is the only document that counts as proof.
Use 可以开发票吗？ in money situations. Pay like a local: QR codes, Alipay, WeChat Pay, cash and cards.
Other ways people say it
The same idea, said differently. Roughly in the order you'll hear them.
能开发票吗？
Néng kāi fāpiào ma?
Can you issue a fapiao?
需要一张发票。
Xūyào yì zhāng fāpiào
I need a fapiao.
抬头写这个。
Táitóu xiě zhège
Put this as the invoice title.
What usually trips people up
- Confusing 发票 with 收据 — a 收据 is a mere receipt; reimbursement in China requires the tax-registered fapiao.
- Giving the company title 抬头 by voice alone — carry it as text on your phone; one wrong character voids the document.
- Expecting instant paper — many places email 电子发票; have an email address ready before you ask.
What you might hear back
- 可以，抬头给我一下。Kěyǐ, táitóu gěi wǒ yíxiàSure — let me have the invoice title.
- 电子发票发您邮箱。Diànzǐ fāpiào fā nín yóuxiāngI'll email you the e-invoice.
- 个人还是公司抬头？Gèrén háishì gōngsī táitóu?Personal or company title?
Common questions
- How do you say "Can I have a receipt?" in Chinese?
- "Can I have a receipt?" in Chinese is 可以开发票吗？ — written in pinyin as Kěyǐ kāi fāpiào ma?. It is a money phrase you would use in China.
- What does 可以开发票吗？ mean in Chinese?
- 可以开发票吗？ (Kěyǐ kāi fāpiào ma?) means "Can I have a receipt?". Broken down word by word: 可以 (kěyǐ) means "can / may"; 开 (kāi) means "to issue"; 发票 (fāpiào) means "official receipt"; 吗 (ma) means "yes/no question particle".
- When would you use "Can I have a receipt?" in Chinese?
- Use it when a company or insurer needs proof of purchase — 发票 is the official tax document, a different object from a till slip. It also matters for insurance claims, where the official invoice is the only document that counts as proof.
Where you'll use it
可以开发票吗？ comes up in these situations, in this order.
More Money phrases
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