Readings: ヒ (Onyomi), つい.やす, つい.える (Kunyomi)
Meaning: expense, cost, consume, spend
The kanji 費 is formed from 弗 (フツ), which suggests “not” or “reverse,” and 貝 (かい), meaning “shell” or “money.” Together, they imply “to spend money” or “to use up resources.”
View JLPT N3 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The stroke order for 費 begins with the 貝 (shell/money) radical on the left, followed by the components on the right. Pay attention to the balance and flow of the 12 strokes.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 貝 |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 12 |
| JLPT Level | N3 |
| Grade | S |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- ヒ (Hi)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- つい.やす (Tsui.yasu)
- つい.える (Tsui.eru)
Common Words Using 費
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 費用 | ひよう | expense, cost |
| 消費 | しょうひ | consumption, spending |
| 学費 | がくひ | tuition, school expenses |
| 食費 | しょくひ | food expenses |
| 旅費 | りょひ | travel expenses |
| 経費 | けいひ | expenses, costs (especially business expenses) |
| 医療費 | いりょうひ | medical expenses |
| 光熱費 | こうねつひ | utility costs (light and heating) |
| 会費 | かいひ | membership fee |
| 人件費 | じんけんひ | labor costs, personnel expenses |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 費やす | ついやす | to spend, to consume (transitive) |
| 費える | ついえる | to be wasted, to be spent (intransitive) |
| 時間を費やす | じかんをついやす | to spend time |
| 労力を費やす | ろうりょくをついやす | to expend effort |
| 金を費やす | かねをついやす | to spend money |
| エネルギーを費やす | エネルギーをついやす | to expend energy |
| 青春を費やす | せいしゅんをついやす | to spend one’s youth |
| 日を費やす | ひをついやす | to spend days |
| 費用を費やす | ひようをついやす | to spend expenses (redundant, but grammatically possible) |
| 費やされる | ついやすされる | to be spent (passive) |
Example Sentences
Japanese: このプロジェクトの費用はかなりかかった。
Kana: このプロジェクトのひようはかなりかかった。
Romaji: Kono purojekuto no hiyou wa kanari kakatta.
English: The expenses for this project were quite high.
Japanese: 毎月の食費を節約したいです。
Kana: まいつきのしょくひをせつやくしたいです。
Romaji: Maitsuki no shokuhime o setsuyaku shitai desu.
English: I want to save on monthly food expenses.
Japanese: 彼は研究に多くの時間を費やした。
Kana: かれはけんきゅうにおおくのじかんをついやす。
Romaji: Kare wa kenkyuu ni ooku no jikan o tsuiyashita.
English: He spent a lot of time on research.
Japanese: 旅行の計画に旅費はいくら必要ですか？
Kana: りょこうのけいかくにりょひはいくらひつようですか？
Romaji: Ryokou no keikaku ni ryohi wa ikura hitsuyou desu ka?
English: How much travel expense is needed for the trip plan?
Japanese: 無駄な消費を減らすべきだ。
Kana: むだなしょうひをへらすべきだ。
Romaji: Muda na shouhi o herasu beki da.
English: We should reduce wasteful consumption.
Japanese: 新しい車の維持費が高い。
Kana: あたらしいくるまのいじひがたかい。
Romaji: Atarashii kuruma no ijihi ga takai.
English: The maintenance cost of the new car is high.
Japanese: 会社の経費削減が求められている。
Kana: かいしゃのけいひさくげんがもとめられている。
Romaji: Kaisha no keihi sakugen ga motomerareteiru.
English: The company is being asked to cut expenses.
Japanese: 学費を払うのが大変だ。
Kana: がくひをはらうのがたいへんだ。
Romaji: Gakuhi o harau no ga taihen da.
English: It’s difficult to pay tuition fees.
Japanese: その事故で多額の医療費が費やされた。
Kana: そのじこでたがくのいりょうひがついやすされた。
Romaji: Sono jiko de tagaku no iryouhi ga tsuiyasareru.
English: A large amount of medical expenses were spent due to that accident.
Japanese: 光熱費が今月は予想よりも高かった。
Kana: こうねつひがこんげつはよそうよりもたかかった。
Romaji: Kounetsuhi ga kongetsu wa yosou yori mo takakatta.
English: Utility costs were higher than expected this month.
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