返佣 (fǎn yòng) literally means 'return commission' — 返 means 'to return' or 'to give back', and 佣 means 'commission' or 'brokerage fee'. It refers to a portion of the commission that is rebated or refunded to the customer, commonly in financial services, insurance, real estate, or e-commerce. Unlike a simple discount, 返佣 is typically calculated as a percentage of the transaction value or the original commission charged, and is often offered as an incentive to attract clients.

This term appears frequently in business contracts, promotional materials, and customer service discussions in China and other Mandarin-speaking markets. It carries a formal, commercial register and is rarely used in casual conversation. While it implies a benefit to the buyer, it may also reflect industry practices where intermediaries share part of their earnings with end users — a concept familiar to English speakers as 'cashback', 'rebate', or 'commission kickback'.