Chinese Word
Archive
← Today's word Archive
verb HSK 5
Traditional 耗費
hào fèi
to consume · to expend · to cost · consumption · expenditure

Meaning

耗费 means to use up or consume resources, typically time, money, energy, or materials. It emphasizes the draining or depleting aspect of consumption, often suggesting that significant resources are being spent or even wasted. The word carries a slightly formal tone and is commonly used in written Chinese or formal speech.

Usage

Native speakers use 耗费 when discussing the consumption of resources in contexts where the amount or impact is notable. It frequently appears with objects like 时间 (time), 金钱 (money), 精力 (energy), or 资源 (resources). The tone is neutral to slightly negative, sometimes implying that the consumption is excessive or burdensome. More common in formal writing, news, or business contexts than casual conversation.

Examples

  1. 01
    这个项目耗费了大量的时间和金钱。
    Zhè ge xiàng mù hào fèi le dà liàng de shí jiān hé jīn qián.
    This project consumed a large amount of time and money.
  2. 02
    为了准备考试，她耗费了很多精力。
    Wèi le zhǔn bèi kǎo shì, tā hào fèi le hěn duō jīng lì.
    In order to prepare for the exam, she expended a lot of energy.

Characters

Common collocations

  • 耗费时间
    hào fèi shí jiān
    to consume time
  • 耗费精力
    hào fèi jīng lì
    to expend energy
  • 耗费金钱
    hào fèi jīn qián
    to cost money
  • 耗费资源
    hào fèi zī yuán
    to consume resources

Antonyms

Origin

Both characters relate to expenditure: 耗 originally referred to depletion or reduction (the radical 耒 relates to agriculture/plowing), while 费 combines 贝 (shell, ancient currency) with 弗 (not), suggesting money that is 'not kept' or spent.

Related