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March 24, 2026
费(費)fèi(Fei4)
The character 费 (fèi) primarily means 'to cost' or 'to spend', and it is often used in contexts involving expenses or fees. It can also imply wastefulness when referring to resources or money. This word is commonly encountered in discussions about financial matters or budgeting.
Strokes9Radical贝Frequency#2182DifficultyMedium
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, discussions around spending and expenses are often linked to family and community responsibilities. For instance, the concept of 费用 is significant in the context of weddings, where families discuss and plan financial contributions.
Memory tip
Imagine a 'fee' being charged for a service, like a ticket fee to a concert. The character 费 resembles a person with their arms raised, asking for money (the radicals suggest spending), and the 'fèi' sounds like 'fate', as if your fate is tied to how you manage your expenses.
Meanings of 费
fèi(Fei4)
1to cost
2to spend
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 费 means.
About 费
费Simplified
費Traditional
9Strokes
贝Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#2182Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4ElementaryTOCFLL3HSKKL2BCT✓CEFRA2
Podcast: 费
Podcast: 费
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AI study notes for 费
Quick Contrast
费用 (cost) vs 花费 (expenditure) — use 费 (fèi) when discussing the act of incurring costs rather than the total amount.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 费 with the character 花 (huā), which also means to spend, but with a focus on spending money rather than incurring costs. It's important to use 费 in contexts involving fees or costs, and be careful with the tone; 费 is pronounced with a falling tone, which can change its meaning if mispronounced.
HSK Study Tips
While not part of the HSK vocabulary list, 费 is crucial for discussing costs and expenses, which aligns with HSK Level 3 themes of everyday life. Students should focus on how to use 费 in phrases like 费用 (costs) and 学费 (tuition fee) to expand their vocabulary.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes mistakenly use 费 in contexts that require 花 instead, such as saying '我费了很多钱' instead of '我花了很多钱' (I spent a lot of money). Remember that 费 is more about costs and fees, while 花 is about the act of spending.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 费
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Learning Lab
Knowing 费 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
费 = 贝 + 弗. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 费
IDS Structure⿱弗贝
费Full character
=
弗fu2
top
贝Bei4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 费?
How to say to cost in Chinese
“to cost” in Chinese is费fèi
The character 费 (fèi) primarily means 'to cost' or 'to spend', and it is often used in contexts involving expenses or fees. It can also imply wastefulness when referring to resources or money. This word is commonly encountered in discussions about financial matters or budgeting.
When to use 费
Learners often confuse 费 with the character 花 (huā), which also means to spend, but with a focus on spending money rather than incurring costs. It's important to use 费 in contexts involving fees or costs, and be careful with the tone; 费 is pronounced with a falling tone, which can change its meaning if mispronounced.
费 or something close to it
费用 (cost) vs 花费 (expenditure) — use 费 (fèi) when discussing the act of incurring costs rather than the total amount.
What learners get wrong
Learners sometimes mistakenly use 费 in contexts that require 花 instead, such as saying '我费了很多钱' instead of '我花了很多钱' (I spent a lot of money). Remember that 费 is more about costs and fees, while 花 is about the act of spending.
Write 费
费
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Practice writing 费 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 费
费 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 7 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
