pei4 fai3皮費皮费
Jyutpingpei4 fai3
Yalepèih fai
Definition
Overhead, operational costs, or regular living expenses.
- operational costs or overhead expenses for a business
- regular household costs or basic living expenses
colloquialmoneywork
How it's used
This term specifically refers to the recurring, essential costs required to keep a business or household running. It carries a sense of burden, often implying that these expenses are unavoidable and constant. Unlike general spending, it focuses on the baseline overhead rather than luxury items or one-off investments.
Examples
Operating costs for a shop are so high nowadays, it's really hard to make a profit.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a single, specific purchase or a one-time bill. It is strictly for ongoing, regular operational or living costs.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
