pei4皮

Jyutpingpei4

Yalepèih

語素Very common

Definition

Costs, capital, or principal of a business or investment.

colloquialmoneywork

How it's used

Primarily used in the compound 皮費 to refer to the ongoing operational expenses or overheads of a business. It carries a slightly more informal or traditional nuance compared to the more technical terms like 成本 or 資本. While it can refer to initial capital, it is most frequently heard when discussing the day to day costs required to keep an operation running.

Examples

zou6做ni1呢daan1單saang1生ji3意，pei4皮fai3費dou1都gei2幾cung5重㗎。

The overhead costs for this business deal are quite heavy.

nei5你jyu6預zo2咗gei2幾do1多pei4皮fai3費heoi3去gaau2搞ni1呢go3個wut6活dung6動？

How much capital have you set aside for organizing this event?

Common phrases

pei4皮fai3費cung5重

high overhead costs

pei4皮fai3費daai6大

large operational expenses

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with the slang use of 皮 meaning ten thousand dollars, which is a completely different etymological origin. Using it as a standalone noun to mean capital in a formal business report would sound unprofessional or overly colloquial.