How to Write 费 (fèi) — Meaning “Fee; cost; spend”

Imagine a shell (贝) that is "fee"-ing away, like a bird flapping its wings (the top part 弗 looks a bit like a bird). This helps you remember 费 means a cost or fee because the shell is flying away with your money.

The top part 弗 must be written with the two vertical strokes crossing the horizontal strokes — do not make them into separate boxes. The bottom 贝 has a standard shell radical shape: left vertical, then horizontal stroke with a hook on the right, and two inner strokes that should not touch the bottom line. Keep the overall structure balanced with the top slightly narrower than the bottom.

贡 has the same radical 贝 but uses 工 (work) as the phonetic part, and means "tribute" or "offerings" — not a fee. 财 also uses 贝 but with 才 (talent), and means "wealth" or "money" in a general sense. 费 specifically focuses on spending or cost, often in expenses or fees.

费 appears in common words like 学费 (tuition fees), 免费 (free of charge), and 费用 (expense). In everyday life, you see it on receipts and price tags. A cultural note: when you see 免费 in a store, it signals something is completely free — a very welcome word for shoppers in China!

Common words containing 费 include: 学费 (xué fèi) — Tuition fees.; 免费 (miǎn fèi) — free of charge; 费用 (fèi yòng) — Cost; expense; fee.