Usage and Nuances
The verb 耗费 (hào fèi) primarily means to consume or use up resources such as time, money, energy, or materials. It often implies a significant or wasteful expenditure, so it can carry a slightly negative nuance when referring to unnecessary or excessive use.
Common Contexts
- Talking about machines or processes that consume energy or materials: "这台机器耗费了很多电力。"
- Describing the consumption of intangible resources like time and effort: "完成这个项目耗费了我们大量的时间和精力。"
- Warning about environmental or resource overuse: "过度耗费资源会对环境造成严重影响。"
Collocations and Patterns
- 耗费时间 (to consume time): used when emphasizing how much time something takes.
- 耗费精力 (to consume energy/effort): common in work or study contexts.
- 耗费资源 (to consume resources): often used in environmental or economic discussions.
Register and Tone
耗费 is a formal verb, suitable for written and spoken Chinese in professional, academic, or serious contexts. It is less common in casual conversation where simpler verbs like 用 (use) or 花 (spend) might be preferred.
Common Confusion
Do not confuse 耗费 with 浪费, which specifically means to waste in a negative sense. 耗费 can be neutral or negative depending on context, while 浪费 always implies unnecessary waste.