Using a perfect single crystal sample of CdTe grown using PVT method, the electronic charge transfer in the II-VI compound semiconductor CdTe at 200 and 300 K has been evaluated using two different approaches: (1) by solving a quadratic equation involving the observed structure factors of h + k + l = 4n + 2 type reflections; and (2) by a graphical approach in which the observed and calculated atomic form factors are extrapolated to sin theta/lambda = 0, to determine the transferred charge. Precise X-ray structure factors collected using MoKalpha radiation have been used for the analysis. The results obtained are reasonable and clearly indicate the ionicity by which charge is transferred from Cd to Te in CdTe. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.