We have not received the payment yet.
还没收到款 is the standard, non-aggressive payment reminder. It states a fact without accusation, which gives the customer room to fix the problem without losing face.
我们还没收到款。
We haven't received the payment yet — a factual statement used as a payment reminder, neutral enough to preserve the relationship while clearly flagging an overdue payment.
We still not received payment.
We haven't received the payment yet — a factual statement used as a payment reminder, neutral enough to preserve the relationship while clearly flagging an overdue payment.
WHEN IT FITS
还没收到款 is the payment reminder that preserves the relationship while moving money toward your account. The phrase is deliberately factual: 还 (still), 没 (not), 收到 (received), 款 (payment/funds). It states a situation, not an accusation. The customer can respond with “we’ll check” or “the bank is slow” or “we’ll pay tomorrow” without having to admit fault. This face-saving construction is not weakness — it’s effectiveness. A payment reminder that forces the customer to lose face will get paid last, not first, because the relationship has been damaged.
The 款 (kuǎn) in this phrase is worth understanding. It means “funds” or “payment” in a general sense — it’s the money itself, not the invoice or the payment instruction. 货款 (huò kuǎn) specifies “payment for goods.” 定金 (dìng jīn) is a deposit. 尾款 (wěi kuǎn) is the final balance payment. Using the right term shows you understand the payment structure: 定金还没收到 (the deposit hasn’t been received yet) is different from 尾款还没收到 (the balance hasn’t been received yet), which implies the first payment was made and the second is overdue.
The 方便 (fāng biàn, convenient) framing is a standard Chinese business courtesy: 方便确认一下付款时间吗 (would it be convenient to confirm the payment timing)? This isn’t weakness — it’s grammar. In Chinese business culture, direct demands about money are softened even when the payment is clearly late. The softness conveys professionalism, not uncertainty. The firmness comes in other ways: the frequency of your reminders, the specificity of your deadline, and the readiness of your backup plan. A supplier who sends a polite 还没收到款 message every two days for two weeks is applying steady, professional pressure. A supplier who screams on day one has lost leverage.
HOW PEOPLE ACTUALLY SAY IT
你好,我们查了一下,这笔款还没收到。方便确认一下付款时间吗?
Hello, we checked — we haven't received this payment yet. Would it be convenient to confirm the payment timing?
Gentle first reminder — polite, assumes good faith, asks for a timeline款还没到,是不是银行那边耽搁了?
The payment hasn't arrived yet — maybe the bank delayed it?
Giving an easy excuse — the 'bank delay' framing lets the customer save faceCHOOSE BY SITUATION
这笔货款已经逾期了,请尽快安排。
This payment is overdue — please arrange it as soon as possible. More direct, signals the grace period is over.
You've already sent a gentle reminder and the payment is genuinely late — time to be firmer款到账了吗?
Has the payment arrived in the account? — short, casual check for when you're not sure if it should have arrived yet.
You're genuinely unsure whether the payment should have arrived by now — a light touch