wong2 fai3枉費枉费

Jyutpingwong2 fai3

Yalewóng fai

動詞

Definition

To waste in vain, such as one's time, energy, or efforts.

colloquialdaily actionsemotion

How it's used

Focuses specifically on the emotional or intellectual investment that ends up yielding no result. It carries a sense of regret or frustration, often implying that the speaker expected a better outcome for their hard work. Unlike general words for wasting things, it is almost exclusively used for abstract investments like time, effort, or sincerity.

Examples

nei5你gam3咁joeng2樣zou6做zi2只wui5會wong2枉fai3費sam1心gei1機。

Doing it this way will only be a waste of your effort.

ngo5我gong2講zo2咗gam3咁noi6耐，nei5你hai6係mai6咪wong2枉fai3費zo2咗ngo5我di1啲hau2口seoi2水？

I've been talking for so long, have you wasted all my breath?

Common phrases

wong2枉fai3費sam1心gei1機

to waste one's efforts

wong2枉fai3費fu2苦sam1心

to waste one's painstaking efforts

Common mistake

Do not use this for wasting physical objects like food or money, as it specifically refers to intangible efforts or intentions. For wasting physical resources, use 浪費 instead.