<p>The crux is in the 白.</p>
<p>浪费 is similar to <em>squander</em>.</p>
<p>Here’s a good example from <em>Oxford</em>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>浪费自然资源</p>
<p>squander natural resources</p>
</blockquote>
<p>To understand 白 I think it’s best to look at <em>白白</em> check out <strong>A Chinese-English Dictionary</strong>’s definition:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>in vain; to no purpose; for nothing</p>
</blockquote>
<p>here are two sample sentences they give:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>白白丢掉一次机会</p>
<p>báibái diūdiào yīcì jīhuì</p>
<p>let a chance slip through one’s fingers; miss an opportunity</p>
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
<p>不要让时光白白过去。</p>
<p>Bùyào ràng shíguāng báibái guòqu.</p>
<p>Don’t let time slip aimlessly by.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>So here we’ve got words like <em>slip</em>, <em>miss</em>, <em>aimlessly</em> and that is really what 白费 is made up of: slip/miss and squander - giving us: to do something in vain, to do something to no avail.</p>
<p>Here are two more examples from AC-ED:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>白费力气</p>
<p>báifèi lìqi</p>
<p>waste of energy; all for nothing; plough the sand</p>
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
<p>白费心思</p>
<p>báifèi xīnsi</p>
<p>bother one’s head for nothing</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-20T09:18:39.420Z
浪费 = waste/ squander; 白费 = 白白浪费 waste in vain
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-20T09:07:44.107Z
2017-12-20T09:07:44.107Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Mou某
<p>白费： you made a lot of efforts but those efforts hadn't take any effect. For example, you have done a lot of work for a project, but in the end the project is cancelled. Those work you have done is 白费了 and no one would use it.  </p>

<p>浪费:  like the word squander or waste, it conveys that you spend more (time, money, resource, etc) than it's necessary, but those resources might not be fully in vain. For example, you spend 20000 just to buy a small bag, which most of people would think it does not deserve. This is a type of 浪费. Another example is that you spend one hour just to write one word! That's kind of 浪费时间. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-23T03:31:02.697Z
2017-12-23T03:31:02.697Z
dan
<p>浪费: wasteful
白费：wasted (money, resources, effort etc); (all) for nothing; </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-30T04:15:27.037Z
2017-12-30T04:15:27.037Z
YCode
<p>I have only used 浪费 to express waste (time, effort, energy, etc) but recently have come across 白费. It seems to be more a waste on intangible items, but I am having trouble differentiating the two. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-20T09:10:28.100Z
白 "in vain, for nothing", 浪,"unrestrained
dissipated, extrav."  see dict.: bkrs: **浪费**  to waste
to squander
waste (spend) extravagantly
làng fèi
waste; squander; dissipate; wanton; profusion; be extravagant:
浪费青春 waste one's youth
浪费时间 waste time; fritter away one's time; squander time
浪费无度 lavish profusely without limit
反对浪费 combat waste
不要浪费你的精力。 Don't dissipate your efforts.
**白费** to waste (one’s energy etc)
labour in vain
bái fèi
waste; in vain:
你不要白费心思。 You needn't bother your head for nothing.
我们的力气没有白费。 Our efforts were not in vain.; We didn't waste our energy.
user6065
<word-choice>
What's the difference between 浪费 and 白费？
# What's the difference between 浪费 and 白费？

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-12-20)

I have only used 浪费 to express waste (time, effort, energy, etc) but recently have come across 白费. It seems to be more a waste on intangible items, but I am having trouble differentiating the two.

**Tags:** word-choice

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 白 "in vain, for nothing", 浪,"unrestrained dissipated, extrav."  see dict.: bkrs: **浪费**  to waste to squander waste (spend) extravagantly làng fèi waste; squander; dissipate; wanton; profusion; be extravagant: 浪费青春 waste one's youth 浪费时间 waste time; fritter away one's time; squander time 浪费无度 lavish profusely without limit 反对浪费 combat waste 不要浪费你的精力。 Don't dissipate your efforts. **白费** to waste (one’s energy etc) labour in vain bái fèi waste; in vain: 你不要白费心思。 You needn't bother your head for nothing. 我们的力气没有白费。 Our efforts were not in vain.; We didn't waste our energy.  

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-12-20. Score: 3

The crux is in the 白.

浪费 is similar to *squander*.

Here’s a good example from *Oxford*:

> 浪费自然资源
>
> squander natural resources

To understand 白 I think it’s best to look at *白白* check out **A Chinese-English Dictionary**’s definition:

> in vain; to no purpose; for nothing

here are two sample sentences they give:

> 白白丢掉一次机会
>
> báibái diūdiào yīcì jīhuì
>
> let a chance slip through one’s fingers; miss an opportunity

> 不要让时光白白过去。
>
> Bùyào ràng shíguāng báibái guòqu.
>
> Don’t let time slip aimlessly by.

So here we’ve got words like *slip*, *miss*, *aimlessly* and that is really what 白费 is made up of: slip/miss and squander - giving us: to do something in vain, to do something to no avail.

Here are two more examples from AC-ED:

> 白费力气
>
> báifèi lìqi
>
> waste of energy; all for nothing; plough the sand

> 白费心思
>
> báifèi xīnsi
>
> bother one’s head for nothing

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: 浪费 = waste/ squander; 白费 = 白白浪费 waste in vain  

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### Answer by username_4 on 2017-12-23. Score: 1

白费： you made a lot of efforts but those efforts hadn't take any effect. For example, you have done a lot of work for a project, but in the end the project is cancelled. Those work you have done is 白费了 and no one would use it.

浪费: like the word squander or waste, it conveys that you spend more (time, money, resource, etc) than it's necessary, but those resources might not be fully in vain. For example, you spend 20000 just to buy a small bag, which most of people would think it does not deserve. This is a type of 浪费. Another example is that you spend one hour just to write one word! That's kind of 浪费时间.


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### Answer by username_5 on 2017-12-30. Score: 0

浪费: wasteful
白费：wasted (money, resources, effort etc); (all) for nothing;


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