白费

白費

báifèi

verb #7,818

Meanings

In vain + spend - to waste effort or resources for nothing.

HSK 2

白费了这么多钱，什么都没买到。

Báifèi le zhème duō qián, shénme dōu méi mǎi dào.

Wasted so much money and didn't buy anything.

HSK 4

你这样做是白费力气。

Nǐ zhèyàng zuò shì báifèi lìqì.

What you're doing is a waste of effort.

HSK 7-9

别白费口舌了，他不会听的。

Bié báifèi kǒushé le, tā búhuì tīng de.

Don't waste your breath, he won't listen.

usage

Common collocations: 白费力气 (waste effort), 白费口舌 (waste one's breath), 白费心机 (waste one's scheming). The 白 here means 'in vain,' not 'white.'

grammar

白 as an adverb meaning 'in vain/for nothing' appears in many expressions: 白跑一趟 (make a wasted trip), 白干 (work for nothing), 白等 (wait for nothing).

白 bái

费 fèi