Chinese phrase
水电按实际抄表还是包月？ shuǐ diàn àn shí jì chāo biǎo hái shì bāo yuè
Meaning
Are water and electricity billed by meter or at a flat monthly rate?
When to use it
Asks if water and electricity are metered or charged monthly. It is a concise way to check whether utility costs depend on usage or a fixed monthly fee.
Example dialogue
我签合同前想确认，水电按实际抄表还是包月？ wǒ qiān hé tóng qián xiǎng què rèn shuǐ diàn àn shí jì chāo biǎo hái shì bāo yuè
Before signing the contract, I want to confirm: are water and electricity billed based on actual meter readings or at a fixed monthly rate?
包月，水电都包含在每月固定费用里。 bāo yuè shuǐ diàn dōu bāo hán zài měi yuè gù dìng fèi yòng lǐ
The fixed monthly fee includes both water and electricity.