費やす

• Reading: ついやす
• Romaji: tsuiyasu
• Kanji breakdown: 費 (hi/tsui) — expense, cost, spend
• Pronunciation: /tsɯ.i.ja.sɯ/

Meaning

To spend; to expend; to consume. Used for time, money, energy, or resources devoted to something.

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb that emphasises the expenditure or consumption of resources. Unlike 使う which is neutral, 費やす often carries the nuance of significant or deliberate investment of resources. Frequently collocates with 時間 (time), お金 (money), and 労力 (effort).

Examples

1. このプロジェクトに多くの時間を費やした。 I spent a lot of time on this project.
2. 彼は研究に人生の大半を費やしてきた。 He has devoted most of his life to research.
3. 無駄なことにエネルギーを費やすべきではない。 You shouldn't waste energy on pointless things.

Usage Guide

Context: business, academic, daily life

Tone: objective

Origin & History

From the kanji 費 (expense, cost), which depicts resources being scattered or used up. Originally a literary Sino-Japanese reading applied to the native verb pattern.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal