費用

• Reading: ひよう
• Romaji: hiyou
• Kanji breakdown: 費 (hi) — expense, to spend; 用 (you) — use, utility
• Pronunciation: /çi.joː/

Meaning

Cost; expense. The money required to carry out an activity or purchase something.

A noun referring to the monetary cost or expenditure involved in an activity, project, or purchase. 費用 is commonly used in both formal and everyday contexts, such as 費用がかかる (it costs money) and 費用を抑える (to keep costs down). Slightly more formal than お金がかかる.

Examples

1. 引っ越しの費用は思ったより高かった。 The moving costs were higher than I expected.
2. この工事にはどれくらい費用がかかりますか。 How much will this construction cost?
3. 留学の費用を貯めるためにアルバイトをしている。 I'm working part-time to save up for study-abroad expenses.

Usage Guide

Context: business, finance, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 費 (to spend, expense) and 用 (use, utility). Together they mean the cost expended for a purpose.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal