Definition
化肥 (huàféi) specifically refers to **chemical** fertilizer, made synthetically. 肥料 (féiliào) is the broader term covering both chemical and organic fertilizers (manure, compost). The single character 肥 can mean 'fertilizer' but is rare as a standalone noun; it appears mostly in compounds like 化肥 itself.
noun
fertilizer
Easily confused
- 花费huā fèisound-aliketo spend (time or money)
- 话费huà fèisound-alikephone bill
Examples
- 化肥。Nóngmín shǐyòng huà féi lái tígāo chǎnliàng.Farmers use fertilizer to increase crop yields.
- 化肥。Guòliàng shǐyòng huà féi huì wūrǎn shuǐyuán.Excessive use of fertilizer can pollute water sources.
- 化肥。Zhè zhǒng huà féi hán yǒu fēngfù de yǎngfèn.This kind of fertilizer contains rich nutrients.
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