hư phí
Definition
- Verb:
- To waste: To use or expend something carelessly, unnecessarily, or without a useful result. This is the primary and most common meaning.
- To squander: To spend or use something valuable in a foolish or extravagant way.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Đừng hư phí tiền bạc vào những trò chơi vô bổ. (Don't waste money on useless games.)
- Cô ấy hư phí cả buổi chiều mà không làm được việc gì. (She wasted the whole afternoon without getting anything done.)
- Hư phí cơ hội như vậy thật đáng tiếc. (Squandering an opportunity like that is a pity.)
Advanced Usage
- The word "hư phí" often carries a stronger negative connotation than the more neutral "tiêu hao" (to consume). It implies fault, regret, or criticism regarding the inefficient use of a resource.
Variants and Related Words
- Lãng phí (v/n): This is a more common and formal synonym for "hư phí", meaning to waste or be wasteful.
- Lãng phí tài nguyên thiên nhiên là có tội. (Wasting natural resources is a sin.)
Synonyms
- To waste: To use carelessly or inefficiently.
- To squander: To waste something, especially money or time, in a reckless manner.
- To fritter away: To waste something gradually, especially time or money.
Related Idioms
- Hư phí tuổi thanh xuân: To waste one's youth.
- Anh ta hối hận vì đã hư phí tuổi thanh xuân. (He regrets having wasted his youth.)
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Waste
