国际货运代理专业英语 Unit 6 Documentary Credit
英文定义：A letter of credit ( L/C, or credit ) is the written promise of a bank to act at the request and on the instruction of the applicant and to undertake payment to the beneficiary in the amount specified in the credit, provide that the beneficiary complies with the terms and conditions of the credit.
注释：written: 书面的，成文的 promise: 约定，保证 at the request of : 应(某人)的请求 on the instruction of: 凭(某人)的指示 applicant: 申请人 beneficiary: 受益人 specify: 指定，详列，规定 provide ( that ): 假若，规定… comply with: 依从，服从，遵从 terms and conditions: 条款
中文意思：信用证是指银行应申请人的要求和其指示开立的承诺在受益人履行信用证条款后按信用证规定的金额付款给受益人的书面保证文件。
二、信用证的有关各方当事人(考试重点)外语学习网
英文原文：There are many parties involved in the L/C operation. They are the applicant, issuing bank, advising bank, beneficiary, negotiating bank, and so on.
注释：operation: 操作，运作 negotiating bank: 议付银行
中文意思：信用证操作过程中涉及到许多当事人(方)，他们是申请人，开证银行，通知银行，受益人，议付银行等
1、applicant(申请人)
英文定义：An applicant is the party that applies to a bank for opening a letter of credit. An applicant may also be called “opener” or “accountee”. It is usually the buyer or importer in a contract.
注释：apply to: 向…申请或要求 open a letter of credit: 开立信用证 opener: 申请开证人 accountee: 开证申请人
中文意思：申请人是指向银行申请开立信用证的一方。申请人也称“申请开证人”或“开证申请人”。通常是合同中的买方或进口商。
2、issuing bank (开证行)
英文定义：An issuing bank refers to the bank that issues a letter of credit at the request of the applicant, and is responsible for payment of the proceeds under an L/C if the terms and conditions of the credit are complied with.
注释：refer to: 指的是 be responsible for: 对…负有责任，对…负责 proceeds: 货款，收益
中文意思：开证行应申请人要求开立信用证的银行，并在信用证条款履行后负责支付信用证项下的款项。
3、advising bank (通知行)
英文原文：An advising bank is usually a bank in the seller’s country. Of cours e, it may also be in a third country. Upon instructions and entrustment of the issuing bank, the advising bank advises the beneficiary of the L/C.
注释：of course: 当然 third country: 第三国家 entrustment: 委托
中文意思：通知行通常是卖方所在国银行，也可在第三国家。凭开证行的指示和委托，通知受益人相关信用证事宜。
4、beneficiary (受益人)
英文定义：A beneficiary refers to the party in whose favor an L/C is opened and which should comply with the terms and conditions of the credit in order to receive the proceeds. It usually refers to the seller, the exporter.
注释：in sb. favor：对某人有利，以某人为受益人
中文意思：受益人是指信用证受益一方，需按信用证条款履行义务以获得付款。通常是指的卖方，或出口商。
5、negotiating bank 议付银行
英文原文：A negotiating bank is the bank that negotiates the beneficiary’s draft(s). It may be the advising bank or another bank authorized to negotiate the documents. If there is no specific stipulation in the L/C, the exporter may present the documentary draft to any bank that is able to do the negotiation.
注释：draft: 汇票，付款通知单 be authorized to: 有权做…，被允许 stipulation: [不可数]规定; [可数]条款, 条件 documentary draft: 跟单汇票
中文意思：议付行是对受益人汇票进行议付的银行。议付行可以是通知行或者其他有权议付单证的银行。如果信用证中无特殊规定，出口商可以向任何银行提交跟单汇票进行议付。
英文原文：An L/C can be opened by mail, by cable, or by SWIFT. Although there are no uniform forms covering an L/C, their contents are basically the same.
注释：cable: 电报 SWIFT ( Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) ：环球银行间金融电讯协会 uniform form: 统一格式中文意思：信用证可以通过邮件，电报以及SWIFT格式开立。尽管信用证没有统一的格式，但其内容基本一样。
英文原文：They include all the important terms and conditions of the sales contract signed by the two parties: do cuments required, the banker’s undertaking clauses, and any special conditions in the L/C.
注释：documents required: 单证要求 banker: 银行 clause: 条款
中文意思：这些基本内容包括所有买卖方双方签署的合同中的重要条款：单证要求，银行保证条款，以及其他信用证的特别规定。
四、跟单信用证的基本程续(考试重点)
三个基本步骤：
1、issuance of the L/C 信用证开立
英文原文：The process of a buyer applying for and opening a documentary credit at the issuing bank, and the issuing bank’s notification of the L/C to the seller through the advising bank. 信用证开立是买方向开证行申请开立信用证，通过通知行向卖方发出开证行开证通知。
注释：process: 过程，程序 notification: 通知，通知书
2、Amendment to the L/C if necessary 如需对信用证进行修改
英文原文：The process whereby the terms and conditions of a documentary credit may be modified after the credit has been issued. 在信用证开立后如需对跟单信用证的条款进行更改需进行信用证的修改。
注释：amendment: 修正, 改正, 修订 whereby: 因此，为何，由此 modify: 变更，修改
3、utilization and settlement 使用和支付
英文原文：The process whereby the seller ships the goods, transfers the documents from the seller to the buyer through banks, and transfers the proceeds from the buyer
to the seller through banks in different ways (the settlement). 这一过程是卖方装运货物，将单证通过因银行转让给买方，并且再由买方通过银行向卖方通过各种途径付款。
六、信用证的类型(考试重点)
信用证根据环境可分为许多种类型，一种信用证同时可能有不同的特征。
1. Documentary Credits vs. Clean Credits 跟单信用证与光票信用证
英文原文：If shipping documents are required, these credits are called documentary credits. If shipping documents are not required and only drafts are required, they are called clean credits.
注释：documentary credit: 跟单信用证 clean credit: 光票信用证
中文意思：如果信用证附带有装运单据，则称为跟单信用证。如果信用证不附带单据仅附带汇票，则称为光票信用证。
2. Irrevocable Documentary Credits 不可撤销信用证
英文原文：Irrevocable credits means that once the L/C is opened, it cannot be cancelled or amended within its term of validity without the agreement of the issuing bank, the confirming bank, if any, and the beneficiary.
注释：irrevocable: 不能撤销的, 不能恢复的 once: 一旦 term of validity: 有效期 agreement: 同意
中文意思：不可撤销信用证是指信用证一旦开立，在有效期内未经开证行，保兑行以及受益人的同意不得撤销和更改的信用证。
3. Confirmed vs. Unconfirmed Credits 保兑信用证与不保兑信用证
英文原文：Under irrevocable documentary credits, depending on whether there is another bank in addition to that of the issuing bank undertaking to pay, an irrevocable letter of credit can be either a confirmed or unconfirmed L/C. If a credit is not confirmed by another bank, it is an unconfirmed L/C.
注释：confirmed credit: 保兑信用证 unconfirmed credit: 不保兑信用证 depend on: 依赖，取决于 in addition to: 除…之外 undertake to do: 承担，承诺either…or…: 不是...就是…, …或...
中文意思：不可撤销信用证是否为保兑信用证，取决于是否存在除了开证行以外的另外一家银行也承诺付款，不可撤销信用证可以是保兑或者不保兑信用证。如果信用证无其他银行保兑，则它是不保兑信用证。
英文原文： The undertaking to pay is the sole responsibility of the issuing bank. An irrevocable confirmed documentary credit is one that contains the guarantee of payment to the beneficiary by both the issuing bank and confirming bank so long as the terms and conditions of the credit are met.
注释：sole: 唯一的 contain: 包含，容纳 guarantee: 保证，担保，担保书 so long as: 只要 met (meet的过去分词)：满足
中文意思：开证行唯一的责任是付款。不可撤销保兑信用证即只要满足了信用证条款的要求，开证行和保兑行都可担保向受益人履行付款义务。
4. Sight Credits vs. Time Credits 即期信用证与远期信用证
1)即期信用证
英文原文：Sight credits mean that the issuing bank or its nominated bank effects payment or negotiation immediately upon receipt of the drafts and/or other documents that are in conformity with the stipulations of the L/C, such as a sight payment credit and sight negotiation credit.
注释：effect payment: 履行付款, 支付款项 effect negotiation: 进行议付 upon receipt of: 一旦收到(on receipt of: 当收到…的时候)in conformity with: 和…一致，和…符合 stipulations: (复数)条款，条件 sight payment credit: 即期付款信用证sight negotiation credit: 即期议付信用证
中文意思：即期信用证是指开证行或者其他指定银行一旦收到与信用证条款相符的汇票或者其他单据后立即履行付款义务或进行议付的信用证，比如即期付款信用证和即期议付信用证
2) 远期信用证
英文原文：A time credit includes the seller’s time credits (deferred payment credits and acceptance credits) and the buyer’s time credits.
注释：seller’s time credit: 卖方远期信用证 deferred payment credit: 延期付款信用证(deferred:延期的，延缓的)acceptance credit: 承兑信用证buyer’s time credit: 买方远期信用证
中文意思：远期信用证包括卖方远期信用证(延期付款信用证和承兑信用证)和买方远期信用证
5. 其他类型信用证
英文原文：Additionally, there are also payment credits (sight payment credit and deferred payment credits), acceptance credits, negotiation credits, anticipatory credits, revolving credits, transferable credits, back-to-back credits, and so on.
注释：payment credit: 付款信用证 sight payment credit: 即期付款信用证negotiation credit：议付信用证 anticipatory credit: 预支信用证 (anticipatory: 预期的，先行的) revolving credit: 循环信用证 transferable credit: 可转让信用证back-to-back credit: 背对背信用证
中文意思：此外，信用证的其他类型还有付款信用证(即期付款信用证和延期付款信用证)，承兑信用证，议付信用证，预支信用证，循环信用证，可转让信用证，背对背信用证等等。