làngfèi: 浪费 - To Waste, Squander

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• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese verb 浪费 (làngfèi), meaning “to waste” or “to squander.” A fundamental HSK 3 word, `làngfèi` is used to talk about wasting everything from tangible things like food, money, and electricity to abstract concepts like time, opportunities, and even emotions. Understanding `làngfèi` is not just about language; it's a window into the deep-seated cultural value of frugality in China and the strong social disapproval of wastefulness. This guide will break down its meaning, cultural significance, and practical daily use with over 10 example sentences.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): làng fèi
• Part of Speech: Verb (can also function as an adjective)
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: To use something carelessly or excessively, resulting in it being lost or consumed without purpose.
• In a Nutshell: `làngfèi` is the go-to word for “to waste.” Think of it as the opposite of “to save” or “to be frugal.” It carries a negative connotation of carelessness, excess, and a lack of appreciation for resources, whether it's leaving the lights on, throwing away perfectly good food, or spending your afternoon doing nothing productive.

• 浪 (làng): This character's original meaning is “wave.” From the image of powerful, uncontrolled waves, it extended to mean “unrestrained,” “dissipated,” or “reckless.” The water radical (氵) on the left hints at its connection to water.
• 费 (fèi): This character means “to spend,” “to cost,” or “fee/expense.” It represents the consumption or use of a resource.
• The two characters combine beautifully to create a vivid image: 浪 (làng) + 费 (fèi) = unrestrained spending. It's like your resources (money, time, food) are being washed away carelessly, like a wave.

The concept of not being `làngfèi` is a cornerstone of traditional Chinese values. Frugality (节约, jiéyuē) is held up as a virtue, born from a long history where famine and scarcity were real and recurring threats. This has instilled a deep, multi-generational respect for resources, especially food (粮食, liángshi). While in Western cultures, “waste not, want not” is a familiar saying, the social pressure and personal guilt associated with `làngfèi` in China can be much more pronounced. It's common for older relatives to scold younger ones for not finishing their rice, not just as a personal failing, but as a sign of disrespect for the farmers' hard work. This value is highly visible in modern China through government-led campaigns like the “Clean Plate Campaign” (光盘行动, guāngpán xíngdòng), which encourages restaurant-goers to order only what they can eat and to take home leftovers. This contrasts with some aspects of Western “disposable culture,” making `làngfèi` a key cultural term to understand when navigating social situations in China, especially meals.

`làngfèi` is an extremely common word used in everyday conversation. It is almost always used with a negative or cautionary tone.

This is the most common usage, referring to physical items.

• Food: 点太多菜吃不完，很浪费。(Diǎn tài duō cài chī bù wán, hěn làngfèi.) - Ordering too many dishes and not finishing them is very wasteful.
• Money: 这东西没用，别买，买了就是浪费钱。(Zhè dōngxi méi yòng, bié mǎi, mǎi le jiùshì làngfèi qián.) - This thing is useless, don't buy it; buying it would be a waste of money.
• Utilities: 出门要关灯关空调，不要浪费电。(Chūmén yào guān dēng guān kōngtiáo, búyào làngfèi diàn.) - You must turn off the lights and AC when you go out, don't waste electricity.

`làngfèi` is also used for abstract things, which is where it becomes very versatile.

• Time: 别在玩手机上浪费太多时间。(Bié zài wán shǒujī shàng làngfèi tài duō shíjiān.) - Don't waste too much time playing on your phone.
• Effort/Words: 跟他解释没用，纯粹是浪费口舌。(Gēn tā jiěshì méi yòng, chúncuì shì làngfèi kǒushé.) - It's no use explaining to him, it's a complete waste of breath.
• Talent/Potential: 他那么聪明却不学习，真是浪费人才。(Tā nàme cōngmíng què bù xuéxí, zhēnshì làngfèi réncái.) - He's so smart but doesn't study, it's truly a waste of talent.

• Example 1:
  • 吃不完就打包，不要浪费。
  • Pinyin: Chī bù wán jiù dǎbāo, búyào làngfèi.
  • English: If you can't finish it, get it to go. Don't waste it.
  • Analysis: A very common phrase heard in Chinese restaurants. `打包 (dǎbāo)` means “to pack up leftovers.” This sentence perfectly reflects the cultural value of not wasting food.
• Example 2:
  • 等他一个小时了，真是在浪费我的时间。
  • Pinyin: Děng tā yí ge xiǎoshí le, zhēn shì zài làngfèi wǒ de shíjiān.
  • English: I've been waiting for him for an hour, this is really wasting my time.
  • Analysis: Here, `làngfèi` is used with the abstract noun “time” (时间). The structure `在 + verb` indicates an ongoing action.
• Example 3:
  • 你每次都买这么多用不着的东西，太浪费了！
  • Pinyin: Nǐ měi cì dōu mǎi zhème duō yòng bu zháo de dōngxi, tài làngfèi le!
  • English: You buy so many useless things every time, it's so wasteful!
  • Analysis: In this sentence, `làngfèi` functions as an adjective. `太 (tài) … 了 (le)` is a common structure to express “too…” or “so…”.
• Example 4:
  • 开着水龙头刷牙是一种浪费水的行为。
  • Pinyin: Kāizhe shuǐlóngtóu shuāyá shì yì zhǒng làngfèi shuǐ de xíngwéi.
  • English: Brushing your teeth with the tap running is a kind of water-wasting behavior.
  • Analysis: This shows how `làngfèi` can be used to modify other nouns. Here, `浪费水的行为 (làngfèi shuǐ de xíngwéi)` means “water-wasting behavior.”
• Example 5:
  • 这是一个很好的机会，你千万不要浪费了。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì yí ge hěn hǎo de jīhuì, nǐ qiānwàn búyào làngfèi le.
  • English: This is a great opportunity, you absolutely must not waste it.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates wasting an abstract concept, “opportunity” (机会, jīhuì). `千万不要 (qiānwàn búyào)` is a strong way to say “definitely don't.”
• Example 6:
  • 我不想再为你浪费感情了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bù xiǎng zài wèi nǐ làngfèi gǎnqíng le.
  • English: I don't want to waste my feelings on you anymore.
  • Analysis: `感情 (gǎnqíng)` means “feelings” or “emotion.” This is a dramatic and emotional use of `làngfèi`, common in break-up scenarios or arguments.
• Example 7:
  • 公司不应该浪费人才，要给年轻人更多机会。
  • Pinyin: Gōngsī bù yīnggāi làngfèi réncái, yào gěi niánqīngrén gèng duō jīhuì.
  • English: Companies shouldn't waste talent; they should give young people more opportunities.
  • Analysis: `人才 (réncái)` refers to talented people or human resources. This is a common phrase in business or organizational contexts.
• Example 8:
  • 跟一个固执的人争论，就是浪费口舌。
  • Pinyin: Gēn yí ge gùzhí de rén zhēnglùn, jiùshì làngfèi kǒushé.
  • English: Arguing with a stubborn person is just a waste of breath.
  • Analysis: `浪费口舌 (làngfèi kǒushé)` is a set phrase meaning “to waste one's breath” (literally, “waste tongue”).
• Example 9:
  • 他把所有的钱都花在了游戏上，这简直是浪费生命。
  • Pinyin: Tā bǎ suóyǒu de qián dōu huā zài le yóuxì shàng, zhè jiǎnzhí shì làngfèi shēngmìng.
  • English: He spent all his money on games, this is simply a waste of life.
  • Analysis: A very strong and judgmental use of the word, applied to the ultimate resource: “life” (生命, shēngmìng).
• Example 10:
  • 这次旅行的预算很紧，我们一点儿都不能浪费。
  • Pinyin: Zhè cì lǚxíng de yùsuàn hěn jǐn, wǒmen yìdiǎnr dōu bù néng làngfèi.
  • English: The budget for this trip is very tight, we can't waste even a little bit.
  • Analysis: The structure `一点儿都不能 (yìdiǎnr dōu bù néng)` means “cannot… even a little bit,” emphasizing the need for absolute frugality.

A key mistake for English speakers is confusing 浪费 (làngfèi) with the noun “waste” (as in, garbage or refuse).

• 浪费 (làngfèi) is the ACTION of wasting something.
• 废物 (fèiwù) is the physical NOUN for waste, trash, or rubbish.
• Correct: 你不应该浪费纸。 (Nǐ bù yīnggāi làngfèi zhǐ.) - You shouldn't waste paper. Using `làngfèi` for the action. * Correct: 请把这些废物扔掉。 (Qǐng bǎ zhèxiē fèiwù rēngdiào.) - Please throw this trash away. Using `fèiwù` for the resulting garbage.
• Incorrect: ~~请把这些浪费扔掉。~~ (Qǐng bǎ zhèxiē làngfèi rēngdiào.)
• Why it's wrong: This is like saying “Please throw this to-waste away.” It confuses the action with the object.

Another point is that while `làngfèi` is a verb, it is very commonly used adjectivally with adverbs like `很 (hěn)` or `太 (tài)`, as in “你太浪费了 (Nǐ tài làngfèi le) - You're so wasteful.”

• 节约 (jiéyuē) - To save, to be frugal. The direct and formal antonym of `làngfèi`.
• 省 (shěng) - To save, to economize. A more common and colloquial verb than `节约`. (e.g., 省钱 shěng qián - save money; 省时间 shěng shíjiān - save time).
• 奢侈 (shēchǐ) - Luxurious, extravagant. Often the cause of `làngfèi`. An extravagant lifestyle (奢侈的生活) involves a lot of waste.
• 废物 (fèiwù) - Waste material, trash, scrap. The noun for physical waste, which is important to distinguish from the verb `làngfèi`. Can also be used to insult someone as “useless.”
• 挥霍 (huīhuò) - To squander (money/fortune), to splurge. A stronger, more formal synonym for `làngfèi`, usually referring to large amounts of money.
• 白费 (báifèi) - To waste (effort), to be in vain. Often used for effort or work that yields no result. e.g., 白费力气 (báifèi lìqi) - to waste one's strength for nothing.
• 光盘行动 (guāngpán xíngdòng) - “Clean Plate Campaign.” A modern government initiative that embodies the cultural value of not being `làngfèi`.