Bonus

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What it really means

Extra money on top of salary, paid for good performance, hitting targets or at year-end. A discretionary bonus is not guaranteed; a contractual bonus is promised in writing. Bonuses are taxed like normal pay.

Chinese explanation

奖金：工资之外的额外收入，因表现好、达成目标或年终而发放。酌情奖金（discretionary）没有保证；合同奖金（contractual）是书面承诺的。奖金和普通工资一样要缴税。

Example conversation

A: Is the bonus guaranteed? B: No, it is discretionary — it depends on the company's results.

A：奖金有保证吗？ B：没有，是酌情发放——看公司业绩。

What you could say back

“How is the bonus usually calculated?”

Related phrases

Commission OTE (on-target earnings) Appraisal

Official sources

Rules and amounts change — confirm important details with the official source.

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Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team · Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake