We will send the deposit tomorrow.

“我们明天打定金” is the message that changes everything. Before this message, you’re discussing. After it, you’re buying. The verb 打 (dǎ) is the workhorse of casual Chinese business finance — 打款 (dǎ kuǎn, transfer funds), 打定金 (dǎ dìng jīn, send deposit), 打尾款 (dǎ wěi kuǎn, pay the balance). It’s the verbal equivalent of “shoot over the money,” and it’s completely normal in supplier communication. The formal equivalent is 支付 (zhī fù, to pay) or 转账 (zhuǎn zhàng, to transfer), but 打 is what you’ll hear on the factory floor and in WeChat messages.

The deposit message should include three things: when the money is being sent, when it should arrive, and what happens after it does. “明天上午打定金” (sending tomorrow morning) is the when. “国际汇款大概3天到账” (international transfer, about 3 days to arrive) sets the arrival expectation. “到账了请确认, 然后安排备料” (please confirm receipt, then arrange material procurement) links the payment to the next action. Without the link, the deposit is just money moving. With the link, it’s a production trigger.

After sending the deposit, the next message is the transfer receipt — 水单 (shuǐ dān). This is the bank confirmation slip showing the transfer was initiated. Sending the 水单 serves two purposes: it proves you actually sent the money, and it gives the factory the transaction reference number they need to track the incoming payment. The phrase 水单发你了, 查一下 (sent you the transfer receipt, check for it) is standard. The factory will confirm when funds arrive: 款已收到 (funds received). That confirmation is the real starting gun for production. Until then, the factory may prepare but won’t commit resources. International payment delays are not your fault, but they’re not the factory’s fault either — acknowledging them upfront prevents both sides from feeling anxious during the gap.