白费 (bái fèi) — to waste (time, effort, money, etc.) in vain; to be futile
Definition
Means effort or time was spent but produced no result ('wasted in vain'). 浪费 is the everyday 'to waste'; 白费 adds the idea of futility — the effort was pointless.
verb
to waste (time, effort, money, etc.) in vainto be futile
Examples
- 白费，。Bié bái fèi shí jiān le, kuài zǒu ba.Don't waste time — let's go.
- 白费。Tā de nǔ lì quán dōu bái fèi le.All his efforts went to waste.
- 白费。Bú yào bái fèi lì qi gēn tā jiě shì.Don't waste your breath explaining to him.
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