浪费钱
To waste money
Literalmente: Waste (浪) gush/wave (费) spend/fee (钱) money
Use it to vent about bad purchases or to advise friends against buying useless things.
En 15 segundos
- Used to describe spending money on useless or overpriced things.
- Very common in casual daily conversation and family settings.
- Combines 'waste' (làngfèi) and 'money' (qián) directly.
Significado
It simply means spending money on things that aren't worth it or are totally unnecessary. It's that feeling you get when you buy a gym membership you never use or a fancy meal that tastes like cardboard.
Ejemplos clave
3 de 6Reacting to an expensive but bad meal
这家餐厅太难吃了，真是浪费钱。
This restaurant is terrible; it's a total waste of money.
Advising a friend against a purchase
别买那个，浪费钱。
Don't buy that, it's a waste of money.
A mother talking to her child
你又买这么多玩具，太浪费钱了！
You bought so many toys again, what a waste of money!
Contexto cultural
Thrift is a core Confucian virtue, so 'wasting' is often viewed with genuine disapproval by older generations. Interestingly, with the rise of consumerism in China, this phrase is now often used jokingly among friends when someone buys 'luxury' items that are clearly impractical.
Add '太' for impact
If you are really annoyed, say '太浪费钱了' (Tài làngfèi qián le). The 'Tai...le' structure makes your complaint sound much more natural.
The 'Gift' Rule
Never say this when someone gives you a gift, even if it's useless. Instead, say '太客气了' (You're too kind/polite).
En 15 segundos
- Used to describe spending money on useless or overpriced things.
- Very common in casual daily conversation and family settings.
- Combines 'waste' (làngfèi) and 'money' (qián) directly.
What It Means
浪费钱 is the ultimate phrase for buyer's remorse. It combines 浪费 (to waste) with 钱 (money). You use it when the value received doesn't match the price paid. It is direct, honest, and very common in daily life.
How To Use It
You can use it as a standalone complaint. You can also use it to describe an action. Just put the action before or after the phrase. For example, "Buying this is 浪费钱." It works as a verb-object construction. It is simple enough for beginners but used by everyone.
When To Use It
Use it when you see a friend buying something useless. Use it at a restaurant with overpriced, tiny portions. It is perfect for complaining about high taxes or bills. Use it when debating whether to upgrade your phone. It fits perfectly in casual conversations about shopping and lifestyle.
When NOT To Use It
Avoid saying this to a host who just bought you dinner. That would be very rude! Don't use it in high-level business negotiations about investments. In those cases, use more professional terms like "low ROI." Don't use it to describe someone's essential needs. Even if you think their rent is high, it's their life.
Cultural Background
Chinese culture traditionally values thriftiness and "saving face" through smart spending. Calling something 浪费钱 isn't just about the cash. It's often a moral judgment on being impractical. Parents love this phrase. They will use it for almost anything you buy that isn't food or books. It reflects a deep-rooted respect for hard-earned resources.
Common Variations
You might hear 太浪费了 (too wasteful). Or the more extreme 乱花钱 (throwing money away blindly). If you want to be more formal, use 挥霍 (to squander). But for 90% of situations, 浪费钱 is your best friend. It’s the bread and butter of daily venting.
Notas de uso
The phrase is neutral-to-informal. It is most frequently used in spoken Chinese. In writing, it appears in blogs, texts, and casual articles, but rarely in formal academic papers.
Add '太' for impact
If you are really annoyed, say '太浪费钱了' (Tài làngfèi qián le). The 'Tai...le' structure makes your complaint sound much more natural.
The 'Gift' Rule
Never say this when someone gives you a gift, even if it's useless. Instead, say '太客气了' (You're too kind/polite).
The 'Mom' Phrase
In China, if your mom says '浪费钱', it's often her way of saying 'I love you, but please be practical.' It's a very common 'tough love' expression.
Ejemplos
6这家餐厅太难吃了，真是浪费钱。
This restaurant is terrible; it's a total waste of money.
A very common way to express disappointment after paying.
别买那个，浪费钱。
Don't buy that, it's a waste of money.
Short, punchy advice between friends.
你又买这么多玩具，太浪费钱了！
You bought so many toys again, what a waste of money!
Classic 'parental' tone using 'too... (le)' for emphasis.
这个广告没有效果，完全是浪费钱。
This ad had no effect; it was a complete waste of money.
Used here to describe a bad business investment.
我办了卡但不去，好浪费钱啊。
I got a gym card but don't go, such a waste of money.
The 'a' at the end adds a sigh-like tone to the text.
我简直是一个浪费钱的专业户。
I'm basically a professional at wasting money.
Using 'professional' makes the waste sound like a funny skill.
Ponte a prueba
Choose the correct phrase to complete the complaint about a broken umbrella.
这个雨伞用一次就坏了，太___了。
The context of a broken item after one use implies the money spent was not worth it.
How would you tell someone not to waste money in a friendly way?
你不需要这个，别___。
'浪费钱' is the standard way to describe the act of wasting money.
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Ayudas visuales
Formality of '浪费钱'
Used with friends and family constantly.
别浪费钱了！
Standard daily conversation and workplace venting.
这真是浪费钱。
Often replaced by '浪费资金' in official reports.
这是对资金的浪费。
When to say '浪费钱'
Bad Food
Overpriced, tasteless dinner.
Useless Gadgets
Buying a 5th phone charger.
Unused Services
Gym membership you never use.
Bad Quality
Shoes that break in a week.
Preguntas frecuentes
10 preguntasIt depends on who you say it to. It's fine with friends, but telling a boss or a host their choice was 浪费钱 is considered quite blunt and rude.
Yes, just swap 钱 for 时间. 浪费时间 (làngfèi shíjiān) means 'a waste of time' and is used exactly the same way.
浪费钱 focuses on the result (the money is gone for no value), while 乱花钱 (luànhuāqián) focuses on the person's behavior (spending recklessly or without a plan).
In a business setting, you might say 浪费资源 (wasting resources) or 不划算 (not cost-effective/not a good deal).
Yes! You can say 你在浪费钱 (You are wasting money). It functions as a standard verb-object phrase.
Yes, it is standard Mandarin and understood everywhere from Beijing to Singapore.
Simply say 别浪费钱 (Bié làngfèi qián). It's a very common piece of advice.
Absolutely. Even wasting 1 RMB on a bad candy can be called 浪费钱 if you're feeling dramatic.
It stems from a cultural history of scarcity where saving every cent was necessary for survival, making any 'waste' feel like a significant mistake.
Younger people might say 剁手 (duòshǒu - 'cut off my hand') to joke about their own tendency to 浪费钱 while online shopping.
Frases relacionadas
浪费时间
To waste time
乱花钱
To spend money recklessly
不值得
Not worth it
省钱
To save money
划算
A good deal / cost-effective
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