Chinese word

餐费

Pronunciation

Pinyincān fèi

Meaning

  • nounfood costs

Example

这个月的餐费比上个月多。zhè ge yuè de cān fèi bǐ shàng gè yuè duō

This month's food costs are higher than last month's.

Illustration for 餐费 (food costs)

More examples

为了省钱，她决定每天带饭，节省餐费。wèi le shěng qián tā jué dìng měi tiān dài fàn jié shěng cān fèi

To save money, she decided to bring her own lunch every day and save on food costs.

Core concept

An account of the money that goes toward eating, whether for one meal or across a month.

Common phrases

  • 节省餐费jié shěng cān fèi

    save on food costs

  • 降低餐费jiàng dī cān fèi

    reduce food costs

Similar words

食费shí fèi: Money used for food in general, including food bought to eat at home.
饭钱fàn qián: The money for a meal, expressed in a casual everyday way.
餐饮费cān yǐn fèi: The combined cost of food and drinks, often treated as a dining expense.

Definition in Chinese

用于购买食物或支付就餐所支出的费用，常指个人或一段时间内的餐饮开支。yòng yú gòu mǎi shí wù huò zhī fù jiù cān suǒ zhī chū de fèi yòng cháng zhǐ gè rén huò yí duàn shí jiān nèi de cān yǐn kāi zhī

Word origin

餐 (cān, "meal") names the eating occasion, while 费 (fèi, "cost") marks money spent, so the compound means food costs.

Usage tips

  • In English, food costs can include groceries and cooking ingredients, while this word usually points to money spent on meals, so the context helps show the difference.

Related words

  • 餐补cān bǔmeal allowancenoun

Word lists with this word