经费

• Pinyin: jīng fèi
• Hanzi breakdown: 经 = 纟(silk) + 巠 (path), meaning to pass through/manage; 费 = 弗 (not) + 贝 (shell/money), meaning expense

Meaning

Funding; budget; funds allocated for a specific purpose.

Refers to money designated for particular activities, especially in institutional contexts like research (科研经费), education (教育经费), or government projects. More specific than 资金 (general funds). Often implies allocated or approved money.

Examples

1. 这个研究项目获得了政府两百万的经费支持。 This research project received two million in government funding.
2. 由于经费不足，我们不得不缩减活动规模。 Due to insufficient funding, we had to scale down the event.
3. 学校正在申请更多经费来改善教学设施。 The school is applying for more funding to improve teaching facilities.

Usage Guide

Context: academic, government, business, institutions

Tone: formal

Do Say

• 经费已经批下来了。(The funding has been approved.)
• 我们需要申请更多经费。(We need to apply for more funding.)

Don't Say

• 我个人的经费 (For personal money, use 钱 or 资金 — 经费 implies institutional allocation)

Origin & History

Compound of 经 (manage, pass through) + 费 (expense), meaning managed expenses.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal