Definition
消费 (xiāo fèi) is a general verb for spending money or consuming resources, often used in economic contexts (e.g., consumer spending). It differs from 花费 (huā fèi), which emphasizes spending a specific amount of time or money on something, and from 消耗 (xiāo hào) / 耗费 (hào fèi), which focus on using up resources gradually or in large amounts.
verb
to spend (money)to consume (resources, energy, etc.)
Easily confused
- 小费xiǎo fèisound-aliketip, gratuity
Examples
- 消费。Tā měi gè yuè zài chīfàn shàng xiāo fèi hěn duō qián.He spends a lot of money on food every month.
- 消费。Kāi kōngtiáo huì xiāo fèi hěn duō diàn.Running the air conditioner consumes a lot of electricity.
- 消费。Tā xǐhuan zài shāngchǎng xiāo fèi.She likes to spend money at the mall.
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