ránqì fèi: 燃气费 - Gas Bill, Gas Fee

• Keywords: 燃气费, ranqifei, gas bill in Chinese, gas fee, how to pay gas bill in China, utility bills in China, natural gas fee, 燃气, 费用, 生活费, pay utilities in China.
• Summary: “燃气费” (ránqì fèi) is the essential Chinese term for the “gas bill” or “gas fee,” a common household utility expense for cooking and heating water. Understanding this term is crucial for anyone living in China, as it's a regular part of managing living expenses (生活费). This page will break down its meaning, cultural context, and practical usage, including how to pay your gas bill using modern apps like Alipay or WeChat Pay.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): ránqì fèi
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: The fee or bill for the use of combustible gas (typically natural gas) in a home.
• In a Nutshell: “燃气费” is a straightforward and practical term for one of the three main utility bills in China, alongside the water bill (水费 shuǐfèi) and the electricity bill (电费 diànfèi). It's a neutral, everyday word used when talking about household budgets, renting an apartment, or the monthly chore of paying bills.

• 燃 (rán): To burn or ignite. The character combines 火 (huǒ - fire), an element representing a dog (犬 quǎn), and a phonetic component. For beginners, it's easiest to remember it by the four dots at the bottom (灬), which are a common variant of the fire radical (火), clearly indicating “burning”.
• 气 (qì): Gas, air, or vapor. This is the same famous “qi” from words like “qigong” (气功), but in this context, it simply means “gas” in a physical sense.
• 费 (fèi): Fee, cost, or expense. The character contains the radical 贝 (bèi), which originally depicted a cowrie shell, used as currency in ancient China. Thus, characters with 贝 often relate to money or value.

When combined, the meaning is perfectly logical: 燃 (burn) + 气 (gas) + 费 (fee) = the fee for the gas that you burn.

While the concept of a “gas bill” is universal, its context in modern China has unique characteristics.

• Infrastructure: In most Chinese cities, apartments are connected to a municipal natural gas line. This gas is primarily used for stovetop cooking and for powering instantaneous water heaters (燃气热水器 ránqì rèshuǐqì), providing on-demand hot water for showers and sinks. This is different from many Western homes where a single large water heater tank is more common.
• The Payment Revolution: The most significant cultural and practical difference is how the 燃气费 is paid. While a decade ago one might have had to go to a bank or post office, today nearly all utility bills are paid instantly through super-apps like Alipay (支付宝 zhīfùbǎo) and WeChat Pay (微信支付 wēixìn zhīfù). A user simply enters their account number, and the bill is paid in seconds. This digital convenience is a defining feature of modern Chinese life.
• Prepaid vs. Postpaid: It's also common, especially in newer apartments, to have a prepaid gas meter (燃气卡 ránqì kǎ). You “charge” your gas card with money, and when the balance runs out, the gas shuts off. This contrasts with the more common postpaid “bill” system in the West, where you pay for what you used in the previous month.

“燃气费” is a high-frequency term in daily life. You'll encounter it in these situations:

• Managing Household Expenses: People often discuss their utility bills together as “水电燃气费” (shuǐdiàn ránqì fèi) - water, electricity, and gas fees.
• Renting an Apartment: When signing a lease, the contract will specify who is responsible for the 燃气费, the tenant or the landlord. A common question is: “燃气费是房东付还是我们付？” (Does the landlord pay the gas bill, or do we?).
• Paying the Bill: The most common usage is simply stating the need to pay it. “我得去交一下燃气费了” (I have to go pay the gas bill).

The term is neutral and can be used in any context, from a formal rental agreement to a casual chat with a roommate.

• Example 1:
  • 这个月的燃气费你交了吗？
  • Pinyin: Zhège yuè de ránqì fèi nǐ jiāo le ma?
  • English: Did you pay this month's gas bill?
  • Analysis: A very common and direct question between roommates or family members. “交” (jiāo) is the standard verb for “to pay” a bill or fee.
• Example 2:
  • 糟糕，我忘了交燃气费，现在没热水了。
  • Pinyin: Zāogāo, wǒ wàng le jiāo ránqì fèi, xiànzài méi rèshuǐ le.
  • English: Oh no, I forgot to pay the gas bill, and now there's no hot water.
  • Analysis: This highlights the immediate consequence of not paying the bill, especially for apartments with gas-powered water heaters.
• Example 3:
  • 你可以用支付宝或者微信来付燃气费，非常方便。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ kěyǐ yòng Zhīfùbǎo huòzhě Wēixìn lái fù ránqì fèi, fēicháng fāngbiàn.
  • English: You can use Alipay or WeChat to pay the gas bill; it's extremely convenient.
  • Analysis: This sentence directly points to the modern way of life in China, emphasizing the convenience of mobile payments.
• Example 4:
  • 冬天的时候，因为要洗热水澡，燃气费会高一点。
  • Pinyin: Dōngtiān de shíhou, yīnwèi yào xǐ rèshuǐzǎo, ránqì fèi huì gāo yīdiǎn.
  • English: In the winter, because we take hot showers, the gas bill will be a bit higher.
  • Analysis: This shows how people reason about their utility costs in relation to their habits.
• Example 5:
  • 我们家的水电费和燃气费都是我妈妈负责的。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen jiā de shuǐdiànfèi hé ránqì fèi dōu shì wǒ māma fùzé de.
  • English: My mom is in charge of the water, electricity, and gas bills in our family.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates how the term is often bundled with other utilities, “水电费” (shuǐdiànfèi).
• Example 6:
  • 房东说，房租不包括水电燃气费。
  • Pinyin: Fángdōng shuō, fángzū bù bāokuò shuǐdiàn ránqì fèi.
  • English: The landlord said the rent does not include the water, electricity, and gas bills.
  • Analysis: A crucial sentence for anyone renting an apartment in China. “不包括” (bù bāokuò) means “does not include”.
• Example 7:
  • 请问，查询燃气费的用户号是多少？
  • Pinyin: Qǐngwèn, cháxún ránqì fèi de yònghùhào shì duōshǎo?
  • English: Excuse me, what is the user account number for checking the gas bill?
  • Analysis: A practical question you might ask a landlord or the property management office when setting up payments for the first time.
• Example 8:
  • 我的手机收到了一个燃气费的缴费通知。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de shǒujī shōudào le yīgè ránqì fèi de jiǎofèi tōngzhī.
  • English: I received a payment notification for the gas bill on my phone.
  • Analysis: This reflects the digital nature of billing today. “缴费通知” (jiǎofèi tōngzhī) is a formal term for “payment notice”.
• Example 9:
  • 搬家之前，一定要结清所有的燃气费。
  • Pinyin: Bānjiā zhīqián, yīdìng yào jiéqīng suǒyǒu de ránqì fèi.
  • English: Before moving out, you must be sure to settle all the gas bills.
  • Analysis: “结清” (jiéqīng) means to “settle up” or “pay off in full,” an important verb for financial matters.
• Example 10:
  • 天啊，我们这个月的燃气费怎么要五百块？太贵了！
  • Pinyin: Tiān a, wǒmen zhège yuè de ránqì fèi zěnme yào wǔbǎi kuài? Tài guì le!
  • English: My god, how is our gas bill 500 RMB this month? That's too expensive!
  • Analysis: A common exclamation of surprise or complaint about the cost of living.

• 燃气 (ránqì) vs. 煤气 (méiqì): This is a key distinction.
  • 燃气 (ránqì): The general, modern term for piped combustible gas, usually referring to natural gas (天然气 tiānránqì). This is what you'll find in most modern city apartments.
  • 煤气 (méiqì): Literally “coal gas.” It's an older term and is now often used to refer to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) that comes in large metal canisters (煤气罐 méiqìguàn), which are common in older buildings or rural areas without a municipal gas line. Using 煤气 when you mean natural gas isn't a huge error, but using 燃气 is more precise for modern city life.
• Household Gas vs. Car Gas: A common mistake for beginners is confusing the “gas” for your stove with the “gas” for your car.
  • Correct (Household): 燃气 (ránqì)
  • Correct (Car): 汽油 (qìyóu) - Gasoline
  • Notice the different characters: 气 (air, gas) vs. 汽 (steam, vapor). The three dots on the left of 汽 (氵) are the water radical, indicating it's a liquid.
• Bill (账单) vs. Fee (费): In English, we talk about a “gas bill.” In Chinese, 燃气费 (gas fee) is far more common in daily speech. While 账单 (zhàngdān) is the correct word for a bill or statement, it sounds more formal. You'd say “我收到了燃气费的账单” (I received the gas fee's bill), but you'd almost always just say “我要交燃气费” (I need to pay the gas fee).

• 水电费 (shuǐdiàn fèi) - Water and electricity bill. Often mentioned together with 燃气费.
• 天然气 (tiānránqì) - Natural gas. The specific type of gas that 燃气费 usually covers in cities.
• 煤气 (méiqì) - Coal gas / LPG. The gas often found in canisters, common in older or more rural homes.
• 暖气费 (nuǎnqì fèi) - Heating bill. A separate, major expense in Northern China during winter, for central radiator heating.
• 物业费 (wùyè fèi) - Property management fee. Another standard monthly or quarterly fee for apartment living.
• 费用 (fèiyòng) - Expense, cost. A more general term for any kind of cost. 燃气费 is a type of 费用.
• 账单 (zhàngdān) - Bill, statement. The formal document you receive detailing charges.
• 交 (jiāo) - To pay (a fee), to hand in. The most common verb used for paying bills.
• 支付宝 (zhīfùbǎo) - Alipay. A ubiquitous mobile payment platform and a primary way to pay the 燃气费.
• 微信支付 (wēixìn zhīfù) - WeChat Pay. The other dominant mobile payment platform in China.